In 2006, oil and gas service provider Schlumberger celebrated their sixty-fifth anniversary of the first wireline logging operation in Saudi Arabia.
Over these years, Schlumberger has provided Saudi Arabia with a range of service and products that cover the entire spectrum of oil and gas exploration and production, including wireline logging, seismic acquisition, well testing, drilling and workover rigs, drilling services, completion services and well services.
The country is vital to Schlumberger’s Middle East operations, with large market growth in the region. “Today, Saudi Arabia forms a major part of operations in the Middle East. In addition to the broad portfolio of technology that the company offers world-wide, Schlumberger Saudi Arabia is unique through the presence of the Dhahran Carbonate Research Centre and the Arabian Drilling Company,” says Doug Cameron, marketing manager, Schlumberger.
The biggest challenge for Schlumberger, much like the other oil and gas companies based in Saudi Arabia, is attracting talented personnel to work for the company. According to Cameron, it tries to adopt an open recruitment policy, with both sexes, multiple nationalities and fresh graduates all making up the workforce.
“With the ramp up in activity, attracting the most talented individuals remains an ongoing challenge. Within Schlumberger however, one of our greatest strengths is the diversity of our workforce, where men and women of many nationalities and backgrounds work together and share objectives,” he says.
“Recruiting where we work is also a cornerstone within Schlumberger. Last year we hired 308 Saudi fresh graduates and have a recruiting target this year of 353 Saudi field engineers and field specialists, 157 of which are already in place. Our target is to maintain a 40% plus Saudi population within our Saudi Arabian operation.”
Schlumberger has made significant investment in their operating infrastructure, including the oilfield services base in Udhailiyah, a new well testing base in Al-Khobar, and upgrades to their existing oilfield services bases in Al-Khobar and Al-Khafji.
“Construction is also underway for a new oilfield services base in Dhahran, scheduled to open in later this year, along with plans for a manufacturing facility to cater for completion and artificial lift technologies – it’s certainly an exciting period,” claims Cameron.
“Since the start of operations in the Middle East in the 1930s, Schlumberger has consistently invested in competent personnel, state-of-the-art technology and service quality delivery systems; all in the pursuit of adding value to our customer’s operations. The recent addition of the Dhahran Carbonate Research Centre, the construction of new facilities reinforces Schlumberger’s long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia and our clients,” adds Cameron.
The carbonate reserve base in Saudi Arabia is certainly something that Schlumberger are looking to exploit. Spearheading their effort in the field is Dubai-based Bernard Monteron, theme director for carbonates and naturally fractured reservoirs.
An overwhelming majority of the region’s oil and gas reserves are found in carbonate reservoirs, and KSA is home to one of the largest sandstone reservoirs in the world – the Safanyia field.
“In the Middle East carbonate hydro-carbons have been typically formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater. To reach a stage where the calcium carbonates form, the seawater has to be evaporated, so high temperatures and coastal winds create the ideal elements needed” says Monteron. “Essentially this means the region has been home to the perfect combination of elements for oil production millions of years.”
With the new research centre and a growing presence, Schlumberger hopes to be on the front line of any future development in the field.
