Upstream - The Business Year

Upstream companies are coping with increased competition, and market share and future growth will depend on innovative technologies and pricing.

Andrew Sutherland

Exploration Director, Hydrocarbon Finder (HCF)

Block 7 is already producing, and Hydrocarbon Finder’s focus has been on enhancing that existing production. Our goal is to reach 5,000bpd in 2019, up from current production of 1,000-1,500bpd. To achieve this goal, we have been working-over existing wells and applying enhanced oil recovery techniques. In 2017, HCF drilled a deeper well within the Sahmah field and discovered oil in the deeper Hasirah reservoir, which is currently being developed. Moreover, we have the Ramlat field in block 7, which we will develop in 2019. Other than that, HCF has two additional structures where oil has previously been discovered though not developed. These are currently being analyzed to reduce the risk and better understand their potential. In the medium term, we have other promising exploration prospects that are undergoing additional technical work. One future development for HCF is the discovery of a huge, 443-m column of deep gas in the deep Cambrian/Ordovician age formations, of which 223m is net pay. The Hasirah deep reservoir currently being developed is a relatively tight formation, and we are testing two technologies. The first is horizontal wells, which should give us substantially better production than vertical wells. The other technology is fracking the existing vertical wells, which also should substantially boost production. The initial results are encouraging, though more time is required to evaluate the effectiveness of both technologies.

Abdullah Al Hady

Acting Managing Director, Abraj Energy Services

The company started in 2006 with mainly drilling rigs. Our first contract included two rigs with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), and we have been growing ever since with 19 operating rigs now. Along with the expansion, we have also diversified, not only from a client perspective but also from a service perspective. In addition to rigs, Abraj has the well workover, coil tubing, well testing, and advanced hydraulic drilling techniques, making it the first local company to provide that kind of service in the MENA region. Similarly, we have been diversifying our client portfolio, and at present we have contracts with all major clients in Oman such as PDO, Oxy, BP, Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP), Daleel, and Petrogas. OOCEP has numerous assets and diversified interests in oil and gas exploration and production, both inside and outside Oman. Like any other professional business organizations, Abraj has its own independent mandate, areas of focus, and management. Being part of a larger group allows us the opportunity to better complement our roles in serving the economy of our nation with a vision to lead internally while sustaining a global remit. Through this relation, we work with our partners to maximize the in-country value and create a positive impact on our society and on the world.

Fouad Eid

Vice President, Fouad Eid

We are focused on unlocking energy with highly engineered products and technologies used to drill for and produce oil and gas efficiently and safely around the world. In Oman, we have a manufacturing plant that we set up and commissioned in 2011. We manufacture something called continuous or coil sucker rod. This technology is relatively new, and we brought it to the region where it adds a great deal of efficiency to the oil field operations. We also run a service that installs the technology into oil wells. In Oman, we have two entities: Apergy Middle East, which is the product sales and manufacturing entity, and Apergy Middle East Services, which is responsible for all our services. We offer a full scope of artificial lift products, services, and training throughout the Middle East and Africa. This brings local knowledge and expertise coupled with our products and services, allowing for increased efficiencies and improved well run life throughout the lifecycle of the well. On the automation side, our well site automation and production optimization are one and the same. Our automation solutions put the well site at a customers’ fingertips, whether they are at the well site or at a remote location. This automation platform aims to maximize production from each well, minimize lifting costs while maintaining the highest standard for human and environmental safety.