Saudi Aramco’s play for a number of American shale workers is a “shrewd” move, according to an industry expert.
The number of operational American rigs has tumbled in recent months, as the low oil price has rendered many US shale plays uneconomical.
And at a time when Aramco is looking to improve its shale and non-conventional capabilities, the energy giant is reportedly looking to employ a number of new experts in the field.
“The reports are all true and shrewd,” said Mahin Siddiqui, associate, Gulf Intelligence.
“While the West focuses on exploiting basic research from Asia, and building on innovation and implementation in their own territory, Saudi Arabia has one upped them by employing disgruntled and laid off experts, and experienced employees, who now find the hot desert climate a stable economic viability,”
“With advertisements on LinkedIn that have drawn 160 applicants for the Saudi shale industry, it is true that Saudis are exploiting American layoffs.”
As well as looking overseas for shale expertise, Aramco has also signalled its intent to develop non-conventional talent in-house.
Its Upstream Professional Development Centre (UPDC) will roll out a three year unconventional resources (UR) course for upstream engineers and scientists from the second quarter of 2015, according to the Arabian Sun.
The UR initiative is one of the primary elements of the Saudi Aramco Accelerated Transformation Program and is a critical component to address the Kingdom’s future energy demand, the report said.
