Well-Safe Solutions appoint a Subsurface Team Lead to help break into a new sector of the well plug and abandonment market.

Well decommissioning experts Well-Safe Solutions have appointed Mark Davison as the company’s Subsurface Team Lead, as the company expands the breadth of its service offering to include all aspects of subsurface plug and abandonment (P&A) design.

Mark has over 30 years of industry experience in a career as a geoscientist, having worked for energy majors and service companies including Shell and Schlumberger in Europe, Africa, North America and Australasia.

Well-Safe Solutions has seen an increase in enquiries from operators looking to better understand where and why subsurface barriers should be set. The correct identification, implementation and communication of an appropriate subsurface isolation strategy is a vital but often misunderstood part of P&A planning – and Mark will lead Well-Safe Solution’s capability to bring extensive North Sea experience to operators and regulators around the world.

Speaking from Well-Safe Solutions’ global headquarters in Aberdeen, UK, Mark said: “Well-Safe Solutions continues to go from strength to strength, and with the Well-Safe Guardian embarking on a considerable scope of work this year, I’m delighted to have joined the team at such an exciting period of progress.

“I am excited to lead the development of Well-Safe Solutions’ subsurface capability, providing peer support to clients to optimise well decommissioning strategies while ensuring regulatory compliance.

“Together with my new colleagues, I look forward to developing robust well plug and abandonment and subsurface isolation strategies.”

Prior to joining Well-Safe Solutions, Mark was the Global Discipline Lead for Geomechanics at Shell, focusing on development of subsurface workflows for various global P&A projects in the North Sea, Middle East, South China Sea and South America.

James Richards, Well Abandonment Director, added: “Mark’s compelling track record make him a clear fit for Well-Safe Solutions, and we’re thrilled to welcome him into his new role.

“His appointment is of great value to us, as his subsurface expertise and its application to well decommissioning will be vital in assisting the business to deliver safe, efficient well plug and abandonment design and operation to clients.”

Mark holds a both a PhD and BSc in Geology, and is responsible for three patents relating to well completion and production engineering. He has published over 20 papers in specialist academic and industry journals to date.

Mark’s addition to the Well-Safe Solutions team continues the group’s progressive expansion, with 99 employees joining the business during 2021