Global Engineering & Construction has acquired Wasco Energy Australia and MFE, and launched into the market as a new group.
Last year was a turning point for the gas industry in Australia. In the throes of the energy transition, the gas industry was placed firmly at the centre of the conversation, overcoming resistance in Canberra and indeed among the public. Policy changed, and so did perception of the industry: without gas, the energy transition will stumble and fall. Now in 2026, it’s mostly full steam ahead. From exploration drilling to new infrastructure development, there’s much in the pipeline, so to speak.
Global Engineering & Construction (GEC) CEO Chris Williams and his team have been quietly making moves to strengthen the company during this time, increasing its capability in key growth areas such as the Surat, Cooper and Beetaloo Basins. In 2025, GEC established Global Electrical and Instrumentation (GEI), which created an in-house electrical division. GEC’s growth strategy then turned outwards, and after approaching over 80 businesses throughout 2025, GEC has pulled the trigger on two key acquisitions: Wasco Energy Australia and MFE.
Wasco will no doubt be familiar to many in the industry. The company provides engineering, procurement and construction services as well as operator and maintenance services. It is active all over Australia in a range of industries, including oil and gas, mining, and renewables.
“GEC and Wasco are both heavily involved in pipelines, but what we don’t do at GEC is a lot of gas compression,” Chris Williams told The Australian Pipeliner.
“Wasco is the go-to group in Australia for gas compression install, construct and maintenance, which will allow us to greatly expand our offering to our clients.”
Due to partial overseas ownership, which has now been bought out, the Wasco Energy Australia brand will have to be renamed later this year.
“We’ll be changing the name to Global Energy Australia,” Williams said.
“It’s the same business that people know and love, just with a different name and now 100 per cent Australian ownership.”
GEC’s other acquisition, MFE, is a Chinchilla-based fabrication and maintenance business that is heavily involved in the Surat Basin and other parts of Queensland.
The family-owned business has 75 employees and two locations within the Basin, which allow it to quickly mobilise for urgent work.
“GEC do a little work in the Surat Basin in Queensland, but strategically, we wanted more of a presence there,” Williams said.
“MFE has commercial relationships in that part of the country with the likes of Shell, Origin, Arrow and more.
“GEC has a strong relationship with Santos, which predominantly operates in the north-west area of the Surat basin. We see some opportunity for MFE, partnered with GEC, to expand out into the west in support of Santos and other operators.”
Mutual growth
With the new acquisitions, Williams and his team are officially launching The Global Group, the new parent of GEC, GEI, MFE and GEA (Wasco Energy Australia).
“We’re not just growing to be bigger; we’re growing to be better. Each business complements one another, expanding our scope and service offerings,” he said.
“To put it simply, it means we as a group can do the pipeline, the fabrication, the electrical, the compression, and more. We’ve got it all covered, essentially.
“Our clients will benefit from this straight away. With in-house expertise, we’re not relying on subcontractors, we have greater control over projects, can put better project controls in, and meet commercial targets more easily.
“There will also now be opportunity for employees in our businesses to cross-pollinate between brands, expanding into new roles and growing professionally if they wish to do so.”
Williams said that MFE and Wasco Energy both stood out as complementary assets to GEC.
“These businesses share a very similar mindset to us,” Williams said.
“Mel Whyte [Wasco Australia’s MD] is very much about creating a legacy and helping the people in his organisation put food on the table.
“And Louise and Greg McMahon who own MFE are very much the same. They are heavily involved in the community and look after their people. That was a big factor for us.”
While the new company structure will bring a wealth of opportunity, Williams said that customers can still expect to deal with familiar faces.
“You’ll be dealing with the same team, leadership, great safety statistics, and quality you’ve come to expect.”
Mel Whyte shared a similar sentiment.
“Both organisations share a similar approach to problem solving, customer service and caring for our people,” he said.
“Our aligned values and ways of working make the partnership a natural fit.”
And just like Williams, he’s excited for the future.
“We’re looking forward to collaborating with the teams at GEC, GEI and MFE to align our capabilities and pursue larger, more complex projects together. The partnership enables us to deliver broader, full scope solutions for our customers.”
Louise McMahon said incorporating MFE into The Global Group creates a more controlled, predictable, and risk-managed delivery environment for clients.
“The acquisition strengthens GEC’s pipeline capabilities by improving supply chain control, reducing delivery risk, and integrating fabrication and technical services in remote and complex environments,” she said.
“At the same time, MFE gains greater scale, engineering depth, and access to larger pipeline opportunities, creating a mutually reinforcing platform for future growth and more resilient project delivery.
“Culturally, the teams are so well aligned. It was the most important factor in taking this step and it will be the reason we are so successful together. The people and values need no change, and our focus can be on process and outcomes knowing we have the team to execute, regardless of which part of the group is supporting our clients.”
What’s next?
If more evidence is needed to support the theory that GEC might secretly have a crystal ball to read the future, look to the Beetaloo Basin.
“Development in the Beetaloo Basin has been going on for a long time, but it’s really got some momentum behind it now,” Williams said.
“We’re seeing full final investment decisions, debt facilities, drilling campaigns and some really strong results in the region. Wasco Australia is the selected builder of a gas plant for Beetaloo Energy, which is about to commence.
“Off the back of that, there are feasibility studies happening for four cross country pipelines. Santos is commencing an appraisal program there this year, and Tamboran Resources has a drilling program underway. On top of that, the Northern Territory Government is right behind the region.
“I think it’s the next big thing in oil and gas.”
GEC has already secured some land in the Basin, central to the development hotspots and a highway.
“We’re building offices out there. Our intention is an in-field fabrication workshop with our own crew, allowing us to project our capabilities across the area with rapid response time. Wasco will also be using those yards to house a lot of their equipment between different phases of Beetaloo project.”
With a breadth of new capabilities, increased local presence, and an investment environment the healthiest it has been in years, the future is undoubtedly bright for the newly minted Global Group.
For more information, visit globalga.au