Bristow Helicopters create new company in Nigeria

Helicopter company Bristow Helicopters has separated
two companies in Nigeria
following the enactment of legislation in Nigeria to create more sustainable,
standalone Nigerian companies in the nation’s oil and gas industry.  Bristow has separated its Bristow Helicopters
(Nigeria) Ltd. (BHNL) and
Pan African Airlines (Nigeria)
Ltd. (PAAN) operations.

Bristow has also started a new Nigerian entity, BGI
Aviation Technical Services (BATS) to provide technical aviation maintenance
services within Nigeria.
BHNL and PAAN are the first BATS clients.

Under the new arrangement, BHNL and PAAN have
autonomy over their own flight operations while maintaining support from
Bristow Group via BATS. The changes are expected to take effect during
2011.

“Bristow has been involved in Nigerian aviation and
the oil and gas business here for more than 50 years, and we support the goals
of this legislation,” says PAAN managing director Alan Grant. “We recognize the
importance of developing Nigerian content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry,
and we will continue to work towards making that happen.”