A PORTISHEAD company is on course for rapid growth and the creation of more jobs after signing global agreements with two of the supermajor oil and gas.

Viper Subsea, which specialises in providing equipment and consultancy services to the subsea oil and gas industry, has secured contracts with ExxonMobil and Total S.A.

Managing director Neil Douglas says the achievement will guarantee the continued growth of the business.

He said: “The agreement with ExxonMobil begins immediately and will be the start of a long-term relationship with the company, whilst the contract with Total S.A. should mean a very busy start to 2012 for us.”

Viper Subsea currently employs 22 people at its Portisfield offices in Bristol Road and this is expected to increase by around 40 per cent in the coming year.

Mr Douglas added: “Our rapid growth and success is partly due to the support we received during our early years in the form of research and development grants from the Technology Strategy Board and also the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). We have also been working closely with the UKTI. Exports will be crucial in helping to pull the UK out of the economic crisis and we are delighted that Viper Subsea is increasing its profile on the global stage.”

Established in 2007, in Viper Subsea collected The New Enterprise Award at the prestigious Subsea UK Business Awards in 2011 and Neil Douglas was named as Institute of Directors (IoD) South West Director of the Year.