The Chouest Group acquires Champagne Energy Solutions
The Chouest Group has acquired Champagne Energy Solutions (CES), previously known as Champagne Energy & Environmental Services (CEES), a leading provider of offshore decommissioning, plug and abandonment (P&A), and environmental services in the Gulf of America.
Champagne Energy Solutions (CES) is one of the largest dive companies on the Gulf Coast, with over 100 divers/tenders and three locations on the Intracoastal Canal, including its HQ in Houma, LA. Using new dive support vessels and operating three cranes of 70, 35, and 15 tonnes, services offered include air, mixed gas and saturation diving and subsea assembly installation alongside underwater welding and ultrasonics.
In 2023, the company rebranded as Champagne Energy and Environmental Solutions (CEES) as services extended beyond sub-sea and diving solutions, incorporating the renewable energy sector, offshore decommissioning and environmental services, with customers across major operators and independents in the Gulf of America.
The Chouest Group is a privately held, family-owned company specialising in energy services, engineering, shipbuilding, subsea services, and advanced technology manufacturing.
Founded as Edison Chouest Boat Rental in Galliano, Louisiana, in 1960, the Edison Chouest Offshore companies (ECO) offers marine transportation solutions for global customers, operating a growing fleet of well over 200 vessels, ranging from 87 to over 525 feet in length.
With over 21,000 employees worldwide, the Group manages a portfolio of complementary businesses that deliver innovative solutions for complex industry challenges. From high-scale infrastructure projects to designing, building, owning and operating one of the world’s most versatile offshore and maritime support platforms, the Chouest Group leverages its scale and expertise to support clients across a diverse range of global industries.
This transaction marks the first acquisition in the Chouest Group’s focused expansion into the offshore decommissioning sector, with additional strategic acquisitions expected in the near term as the company builds a fully integrated platform in this space.
By integrating CES into its broader portfolio, the Chouest Group enhances its ability to deliver end-to-end decommissioning solutions, including P&A, subsea intervention, environmental compliance, marine logistics support, make safe, demolition and recycling.
This acquisition aligns with the Chouest Group’s long-term vision of building a vertically integrated services platform by combining marine logistics, subsea robotics, engineering, and environmental execution under one umbrella.
Dino Chouest, Executive Vice President of the Chouest Group, said:
“We see decommissioning as one of the most important and fastest-growing segments of the offshore energy market.
“The addition of CES allows us to offer a fully integrated solution, leveraging the diverse technical expertise and operational scale found across the entire Chouest Group. This acquisition is a natural expansion of our broader service platform, creating meaningful value for our customers.”
CES will continue to operate with its existing leadership and team, ensuring continuity for customers and ongoing projects while benefiting from the Chouest Group’s scale and capabilities.
Jefferies acted as financial advisor to Champagne Energy Solutions, LLC on the transaction. Johnson Rice & Company acted as financial advisor to the Chouest Group on the transaction.