Jointly overseeing operations at Stockton Group, alongside MD, Fiona O’Connell, co-founder Gearoid O’Connell is the backbone of the firm ensuring our teams across our three disciplines deliver to the highest standards every time.
As co-founder, Gearoid O'Connell has been with Stockton from the start. Since coming on board full-time as Director in 2004, he’s overseen Stockton’s drilling, pipelines and civil engineering projects, working with major brands including Shell, SSE, E.ON, National Grid and Laing O’Rourke.
Alongside his wife, Managing Director, Fiona O’Connell, Gearoid has grown Stockton’s turnover to £25m, operating with a core team of 43, supported by a wider network of contractors who’ve helped the business scale nationwide.
What past industry experience have you carried into your role at Stockton?
I have more than 30 years’ experience in the construction and pipeline engineering sectors. Before establishing Stockton, I spent 14 years with the international engineering and construction firm Murphy Pipelines, where I was proud to lead complex pipeline and trenchless installation projects across the UK and Europe.
I also hold a degree in Civil Engineering from Munster Technological University in Ireland and a degree in Business and Engineering from the University of Westminster.
Have there been any advancements in how you manage projects in recent years?
At the start, Stockton was a specialist horizontal directional drilling (HDD) contractor, but now, we’re proud to be a multi-disciplinary infrastructure contractor delivering drilling, pipeline installation and civil engineering works nationwide.
Over the years, we’ve expanded our capabilities to include traditional pipeline installation, Direct Pipe® technology and associated civils works, delivering complex crossings and infrastructure schemes for the energy, utilities and industrial sectors.
As the only current UK provider of Direct Pipe® technology, we’re leading the way in how trenchless pipeline installations are done, putting innovation at the forefront of what we do.
What would you say are the main reasons why clients choose Stockton over other firms?
Whether we’re facing challenging ground conditions, environmental restraints, tight time schedules, or the unexpected, our best-selling point is our ability to get things done. Our approach is centred around practicality, reliability and problem-solving, especially for technically demanding projects. We also provide a full turnkey service, with our civils, drilling, and pipeline divisions working in tandem, cutting communications gaps and bottlenecks to make sure projects are completed as seamlessly as possible, whilst sticking tightly to schedule.
What has been your most memorable project?
I’d say the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm project was one of the most memorable. The wind farm produces 584 megawatts from 84 turbines and powers approximately 450,000 homes, and we were brought in to deliver the trenchless installations for high-velocity cables in relation to it, with two independent 48” x 450m steel landfalls.
If you’d like to work with a team of drilling and civil engineering experts led by a wealth of expertise on your next project, get in touch with us today.
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