Comments come after firm laid off 25 people from its global workforce.
Davis Larssen, CEO Proserv
Proserv will “continue to be in Aberdeen” if it remains “globally effective”, said the firm’s chief executive as he revealed job cuts and a dwindling North Sea order book.
“We’ve just gone through an exercise where I’ve restructured the Proserv leadership globally,” Davis Larssen, chief executive of the Aberdeen headquartered firm, told Energy Voice.
“It’s no secret, we’ve just made a number of people redundant in the UK, Norway and in the Middle East.”
A total of 25 people were let go by the firm during the restructuring programme, resulting in a “leaner, flatter leadership structure”.
The cuts came from the firm’s 800-person strong workforce, and Larssen emphasised the “small percentage” of employees impacted.
And although the UK was only one of the regions impacted by the redundancy round, a nosedive in oil and gas work and delays to renewable energy projects within the North Sea have the potential to drive decision-making going forward.
Proserv’s holistic cable monitoring system was deployed at the Dogger Bank wind farm.
“Increasingly, the kind of products we build and supply from the UK – for example, subsea controls – they need to be competitive globally,” Larssen explained.
“So, if we’re competing against people that are building these things in Brazil or Malaysia, for example, we have to demonstrate that our product reliability and quality – and on time delivery and price – is competitive.”
Despite Proserv doing “reasonably well” when competing with suppliers based in regions of high offshore activity, securing work from the UK “continues to be a challenge”.
“It does put the UK under a bit more of a spotlight,” said Larssen.
“Because if you have to send a typical oil and gas service technician on a plane to Brazil to do a job, you’re competing with Brazilian technicians who, in theory, can do the same job.”
Proserv hits out at North Sea oil policy
As the challenge of competing with overseas firms ramps up, the Proserv boss sees little evidence of change “whilst we continue, as a nation, to not invest in the natural resources that still sit within the North Sea.”
Looking at the “short term”, Larssen forecasts his order book to be “predominantly oil and gas,” even as the UK government plans to pass legislation that would outlaw exploration licences in the North Sea.
Under the Labour Party’s plan for UK oil and gas activity, already discovered resources near to existing infrastructure can be exploited via tiebacks, however, the prospect of a new, and licensed, field coming online is not on the cards.
To showcase how spending has shifted, around “45% of our revenue was derived from the North Sea” a decade ago, Larssen explained. Now, it’s “probably 15% North Sea and about 85% in overseas markets,” and this is a result of “the UK market shrinking”.
As a result, firms like Proserv are increasingly looking overseas to secure work. In recent years, Proserv outlined plans to deliver growth in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is now targeting Brazil as well.
UK offshore wind worries
But what about renewables? With government backing in the UK, focusing on cleaner energy, surely the firm that has worked on major offshore wind projects like Dogger Bank could see opportunities in the North Sea?
Apparently not, as projects continue to stall or get scrapped due to a plethora of issues causing headaches for wind developers. Grid connection times leave projects without a route to market, and transmission charges have hampered wind farms in the north of Scotland that secured leases in the 2022 Scot Wind round.
“I would have to say, the renewables transition is going a lot slower than what any of us imagined,” Larssen said.
The Dogger Bank offshore wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire.
“I think back to four or five years ago, when ScotWind was first announced, and there was this huge buzz around what we were going to do as a nation, creating this new floating offshore wind energy infrastructure, and how we could be world-leading.
“The reality is in the four years or so since then, we’ve hardly moved forward as a nation, and most of those projects are at risk.”
In light of this, despite Proserv “aggressively trying to get into renewables”, current market conditions make it “nigh on impossible in the UK sector to do that today”.
One major issue Larssen sees with the UK renewable energy market is the country’s decision to “not bring new players into the market”.
‘Mistake’ to block Ming Yang
Earlier this year, the Westminster government blocked Chinese turbine maker Ming Yang from setting up its planned manufacturing site in Scotland.
This has prompted a debate as to whether the government made the right decision when it cited national security concerns as the reason for not allowing the use of Chinese turbines.
“The decision around Ming Yang coming into the UK has been a very topical and public one, and I personally think it’s a mistake,” Larssen commented.
Despite Ming Yang’s plans getting scrapped, the UK is investing in state-backed firm GB Energy, which aims to invest in supply chain companies with technology fit for large-scale deployment.
“I think GB Energy are on the right track,” commented the Proserv boss.
“I think what they are trying to do is not easy. They’ve obviously got certain constraints they have to operate within, but at the moment, I think they are listening, they are learning, they are engaging with lots of companies across the operator base and the supply chain – us included.
“I would say, we’re having some very good, proactive conversations with them.”
A Ming Yang offshore wind turbine.
His comments come after Conservative politicians branded GB Energy “one of the biggest scams of our generation which is driving away private investment”.
On Monday, the Government Property Agency kicked off the £1.7 million initiative to get GB Energy’s Aberdeen headquarters ready for the firm’s fast-approaching move-in date.
The state-backed firm is planning to host a jobs event in the Granite City next week as it is currently recruiting for eight senior roles set to be based in Aberdeen.
‘Bigger opportunities’ overseas
Despite stumbling blocks causing North Sea renewables projects to stall, Proserv sees the wider renewables market as a key growth area.
Renewables as a whole, but “offshore wind in particular”, stand to offer “big growth opportunities” for the Aberdeen business.
“Whether it’s fixed or floating, as offshore wind gets further offshore and you’re getting into a harsh environment, the need to have turbine agnostic, fully integrated control monitoring systems that you are comfortable are cyber secure – and nobody can access your ability to pull power back to the shore – is critical,” the Proserv boss explained.
“That’s what we’ve been doing in oil and gas for 40 years, and we think we can do it in renewables.”
Currently, mainland Europe and south-east Asia are the “growth markets” Proserv is targeting in the offshore wind market, the chief executive said.
Even after “great success” on UK renewable work, Larssen now thinks the “bigger opportunities” are “more likely to be outwith the UK.”
What is Proserv’s future in Aberdeen?
So, with opportunities presenting themselves in renewables and oil and gas outside of the UK, does it make sense for Proserv to remain headquartered in Aberdeen?
As Energy Voice inquired about the likelihood of Proserv retaining its Aberdeen footprint, Larsen revealed he had been “asked that very same question by a member of staff” in his firm’s Westhill base.
“We’ve had facilities in Aberdeen for the past 40-50 years,” he said.
“I live in Aberdeen, I’ve been with Proserv 16 years, and I’m married to a woman from Aberdeenshire, so this is where my kids were born, this is where they’ve been brought up, so this is home, and this is our headquarters.”
Proserv’s corporate HQ in Westhill, Aberdeen.
He explained the firm has “well-established infrastructure” in the north-east of Scotland.
However, as the “slant” on where business is coming from has shifted to outside of the UK, questions could start being asked about the firm’s north-east presence.
“So, we will continue to be in Aberdeen whilst we continue to be globally effective,” Larssen said.
“For me personally, that means I spend a lot of time traveling in airplanes to go and visit customers, and I haven’t yet got to the point where we have said ‘it shouldn’t be Aberdeen, it should be this place or that place’ because if I moved to London, Dubai of Houston, I would still spend time in a plane going to other parts of the world.”
The Proserv boss did concede that his firm has “a huge emotional attachment to the north-east of Scotland”, which also has a bearing on decision-making. Larssen added: “So, as long as that glue still makes sense, it will continue and there’s no plans to relocate the headquarters to anywhere else to be quite frank.”
Field-proven pressure protection enables faster, lower-emissions path to first oil in the Gulf of America
Proserv, the global controls technology specialist, has helped unlock a commercially viable, infrastructure-led development for Beacon Offshore Energy’s Zephyrus field through the deployment of its High Integrity Pressure Protection System (HIPPS) subsea controls.
Beacon and its partners have signed a production handling agreement to tie the Zephyrus field back to existing subsea infrastructure in the Mars Corridor. By leveraging established facilities, the development is expected to reduce emissions, lower capital expenditure, and accelerate time to first oil.
A critical enabler of this approach is the integration of Proserv’s field-proven HIPPS controls into the nine-mile Zephyrus subsea tieback. Delivered in collaboration with Trendsetter Engineering, a specialist provider of subsea solutions, the HIPPS system allows a high-pressure well to be safely and flexibly connected to lower-pressure infrastructure.
The solution combines Trendsetter’s HIPPS module with Proserv’s SIL 3-rated subsea control system, delivering a highly reliable, localised safety function that automatically shuts in the well in the event of a pressure excursion. This enables operators to manage differing pressure regimes while protecting existing assets and maintaining operational integrity.
Matt Metcalf, Technical Sales Director at Proserv, said:
“Zephyrus is a great example of how infrastructure-led developments can be made both technically robust and commercially compelling. Our HIPPS subsea controls give operators the confidence to tie high-pressure wells into existing networks safely, helping reduce cost, minimise emissions and bring production online faster.”
Designed for use across greenfield, brownfield and infrastructure-led projects, the HIPPS solution can be seamlessly integrated with existing subsea architectures, supporting flexible tieback strategies in deepwater environments.
The Zephyrus development comprises two single-well tiebacks utilising a single HIPPS module with dual flow base capacity, connected to existing deepwater infrastructure. Building on continued success in the Gulf of America, Proserv and Trendsetter plan to deploy the proven HIPPS technology on future deepwater developments across the Americas.”
Aberdeen, UK – Proserv, the global controls technology company, has announced the appointment of Halfdan Brustad and Eric Balish as Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) to its Board, further strengthening its governance and strategic leadership as the company continues to scale its technology and international footprint.
Halfdan Brustad will join the Proserv Board effective 1 February, as he prepares to step away from a long and distinguished career with Equinor in the coming months. He is well known to Proserv through long-standing professional relationships and has previously played a key role in supporting the company’s early efforts to commercialise its ECG technology. Halfdan brings extensive senior leadership expertise across multiple energy sectors and has delivered strategic change and leadership at various levels during his distinguished career.
Eric Balish has also recently joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director, bringing extensive senior-level banking and finance experience to Proserv. Eric’s expertise and contacts in this area are proving valuable to support the growth of Proserv as we continue our journey on becoming the Controls partner of choice for Energy producers around the world, as well as our pivot into Renewables.
Commenting on the appointments, Davis Larssen, CEO of Proserv, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Halfdan and Eric to the Proserv Board. Halfdan has been known to us for many years and was instrumental in supporting our early work to commercialise ECG. His deep industry insight and strategic perspective will be invaluable as we continue to grow.
Eric brings a wealth of finance experience and a strong understanding of how to support our growth with the appropriate capital structure. Together, these appointments significantly strengthen our Board at an important stage in Proserv’s journey.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Halfdan Brustad said:
“I am pleased to be joining Proserv as a Non-Executive Director. I have followed the company’s progress for some time and have been impressed by its technology focus and ambition. I look forward to supporting the Board and management team as Proserv continues to develop and commercialise innovative control solutions for the energy sector.”
Eric Balish added:
“Proserv is a company with a clear vision and strong momentum. I am excited to join the Board and to work alongside the team to help guide the business through its next phase of growth, supporting both its strategic direction and long-term value creation.”
These appointments reflect Proserv’s continued commitment to strong governance, deep industry expertise, and strategic leadership as it advances its controls technology offering for global energy markets.
Aberdeen, UK / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Proserv, a global leader in controls and sampling technologies, has extended its Exclusive Representative Agreement with SMS Sand Management Services Sdn Bhd (SMS) for Malaysia by a further two years, strengthening a partnership first established in 2023.
The renewed agreement continues to combine Proserv’s high-integrity sampling systems and flow forensic engineering expertise with SMS’s real-time sand erosion monitoring and local deployment capabilities. Together, the companies provide Malaysian operators with integrated solutions that enhance flow assurance, improve erosion and corrosion risk prediction, and support safe, reliable sampling across demanding production environments.
Delivery is supported through the joint Sampling Service Centre at the Kemaman Supply Base in Terengganu, which provides local access to production and exploration sample cylinders, Sand Injection Calibration equipment, downhole and subsea sampling systems, and specialised sampling technologies. The facility enables faster response times, reduced mobilisation, and consistent service quality across Malaysia.
The partnership also supports operators’ Environmental, Social, and Governance objectives by reducing the need for repeat field campaigns, lowering emissions associated with logistics, improving personnel safety through reduced manual intervention, and strengthening data integrity and traceability for regulatory and ESG reporting.
Andrew Kinsler, Operations Director at SMS, said, “This extension reflects the strong results we have delivered together and our ongoing commitment to providing innovative, reliable, and efficient sampling and sand monitoring solutions for our clients in Malaysia.”
Sean Andersson, Vice President – Sampling at Proserv, added, “By extending our agreement with SMS, we continue to offer operators a fully integrated, high-integrity sampling and sand monitoring solution that enables safer operations, improved flow assurance insight, and more confident, data-driven decision-making.”
With a long heritage in energy controls technology, Proserv continues to play a critical role in supporting safe, efficient and increasingly data-driven energy operations worldwide. In the latest, EIC (Energy Industries Council) Energy Focus feature, Bradley Savoldelli, Global Sampling Engineering and Product Line Manager, offers an insight into life at Proserv, from the challenges of delivering complex, bespoke engineering solutions to the culture of innovation, collaboration and people development that has shaped both the company’s success and his own journey from apprentice to global engineering leader. Read his feature below to discover how Proserv’s people, technology and problem-solving culture are helping shape the future of energy control and sampling solutions.
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of EIC. To read the article online, please click here.
Proserv Norway – A Trusted Subsea and Topside Partner, Recognised by OGV Energy
Proserv is internationally recognised for advanced control technologies, subsea expertise and topside systems, and our growing presence in Norway has recently been featured in OGV Energy Magazine’s International Growth Issue, Norwegian Edition, highlighting our role as a trusted local partner on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
With operations in Stavanger and Trondheim, Proserv Norway delivers full-scope subsea and topside solutions across the asset lifecycle. From subsea control system upgrades and obsolescence management to topside hydraulic power units, sampling systems and rapid-response services, we support operators with practical, future-ready solutions tailored to Norway’s demanding offshore environment.
Trondheim serves as Proserv’s global subsea R&D centre, driving innovation in digitalisation, condition monitoring and life-extension technologies, while Stavanger provides local manufacturing, service, rental and offshore support. Together, these centres enable fast response, high compliance and long-term value creation.
More than an equipment supplier, Proserv is a problem solver and long-term collaborator, helping operators reduce downtime, lower lifetime costs and extend field life through flexible, compliant and locally delivered solutions.
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of OGV Energy. To read the article online, please click here.
At OE2025, Proserv’s Daniel Fearnley, VP of Sales & Strategic Accounts, sat down with both OGV Group and Energy Voice to discuss Proserv’s journey, opportunities, and vision for the future.
In conversation with OGV Group’s Dan Hyland, Daniel provides an overview of Proserv’s global footprint, and highlights growth in the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, Australia, Asia, and Norway. He also discusses the company’s ongoing globalisation journey and the transition towards renewable energy.
In discussion with Energy Voice’s Ed Reed, Daniel shares Proserv’s core technology ethos, particularly in production controls, and outlines how the business is pushing further into renewables. Looking ahead, he discusses Proserv’s focus on continuing its global expansion, with opportunities across West Africa, Brazil and beyond, while continuing to invest in renewable technologies. He also reflects on the impact for Aberdeen — a region rich in the right skillsets, supply chain strength, and expertise — positioning it as a hub for the energy transition.
Together, these conversations showcase Proserv’s commitment to innovation, international growth, and supporting the energy transition, while staying firmly rooted in the strengths of its people and partners.
Proserv’s innovative controls technology is featured in the September 2025 issue of Endeavour Magazine. The article highlights how we are driving operational excellence with cutting-edge subsea and topside solutions. From safeguarding offshore wells to optimizing energy infrastructure, Proserv continues to deliver reliability, integrity, and cost-effective performance for our clients across the region.
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Endeavour Magazine. To read the article online, please click here.
Proserv’s Chief Executive Davis Larssen has told STV News that continued political and fiscal uncertainty is driving more energy firms to focus overseas, as investment in the North Sea becomes increasingly unattractive.
Speaking during the interview, Mr Larssen said:
“Eighty per cent of our business is already outside Aberdeen. I spend a lot of time travelling to regions like West Africa and South America where clients are actively investing in infrastructure, but the North Sea is almost the opposite. Political positions taken in the UK have created an environment where people don’t want to invest.”
Proserv, headquartered in Aberdeen, is a global controls technology company and continues to expand its presence internationally. However, Mr Larssen stressed that unless the UK provides a clearer, more stable pathway for both oil and gas and renewables, there is a risk of losing skills, jobs, and investment overseas.
In this candid Q&A from the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce Business Bulletin, Gordon Paul, Proserv’s Global Logistics Compliance Manager, shares the personal and professional journey that took him from warehouse operations to a global leadership role. He reflects on the quiet influences of family, the power of self-driven development, and the mindset shift that transformed his leadership style. Gordon’s story is a powerful example of resilience, adaptability, and challenging the status quo to drive meaningful change.
This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce. To read the article online, please click here.
