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Ecoquip Pump Jacks Mounts directly and evenly on top of wellhead ensuring polished rod always pulled straight up and down.
Control system gives complete stroke control and immediate well information to operator. Adjustable timer settings, different up and down stroke speeds and alerts all easily programmed.
Engine fully enclosed with safety and the ever-changing environment in mind. Gas or electric motors available. Balanced system reduces fuel consumption and peak usage rates.
N2 counter-balance in unit acts as your surface shock absorber for down-hole equipment and stores energy for the next up stroke.
No unreliable and unsafe proximity switches or sensor bars to control stroke length. All controls away from wellhead and enclosed on power unit.
Smooth stroke ensures almost non-existent movement and vibration of all hoses, no whip protection required.
Ecoquip 9000-6X model hydraulic pump jack
158� stroke length/ 7-8 SPM / 35,000lbs max load
Ecoquip Rentals and Sales Ltd. P 403.255.5207
F 403.255.9150
Patented design from Calgary, Alberta
6235A 86th Ave SE Calgary, AB T2C 2S4 E info@ecoquip.ca
W www.ecoquip.ca
contents
COVER | Ecoquip Pump Jacks See story beginning on page 8.
features 05 Logan Completion Systems – Advanced Multi-Stage Fracturing Technology
08 Ecoquip – A Story of Innovation and Perseverance: A Better Pump Jack Is Here
14 Calgary Women in Energy – Promoting, Supporting and Empowering Women in the Energy Sector
16 Plains Fabrication and Supply – Calgary Custom Manufacturing Gets it Right by Listening
18 20 22 24 46
oilfield PULSE advertising index
Leading Edge – Get the Competitive Edge Madex – Makes The Rigs Roll Les Grabill – Building a Better Pump Jack D&D Machine Works Ltd. – Your Machining Solution Center Double Zero Pizza
Departments 06 CEO PAGE: What’s all the HUBbub about? 26
Your Best Friends with Benefits: Employee Attraction – Retention
32
Zenert’s Marketing Minute: Is Social Media Marketing for your Business?
44
Plains’ Perspective: Shortsighted Fines Will Not Keep People Safe
The Beat 36 38 40
Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show Shear Fest
IFC Ecoquip Pump Jacks 04 Reidco Metal Industries Ltd. 17 Apex Distribution Inc. 17 Smits Insulation Services Ltd. 19 Data Shapers Inc. 21 Madex Supply Ltd. 27 Millennium Directional Service Ltd. 28 Longhorn Casing Tools 29 Zeeco, Inc. 30 Intercon Messaging Inc. 33 Plains Fabrication 34 Stawowski McGill & Partners LLP 35 Enform 42 Renfrew Insurance Ltd. 47 D&D Machine Works Ltd. 48 Advantage Products Inc. IBC Evolution Oil Tools Inc. OBC Leading Edge Artificial Lift Systems Ltd.
Oilympics – An Oil Patch Classic
oilfield hub members at large 25 31
Energy Auctions Inc. Canadian copyright 2013 by Leadstone Group Inc. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this publication is prohibited. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.
Integrity Pump Service Inc.
Publication Number: 42420518
Kevin Turko
Creative Marketing Heather Beatty Heather.Beatty@LeadstoneGroup.com
Managing editor Andrea Turko Andrea.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com
Sales Manager Dave O’Connor Dave.OConnor@LeadstoneGroup.com
Markham Hislop
Finance & Admin Jeannie Yip Finance_Admin@LeadstoneGroup.com
CEO Kevin.Turko@LeadstoneGroup.com
Contributing WRITEr Markham@BeaconNews.ca Sponsored By
www.OilfieldHUB.com
PUBLISHED BY
www.LeadstoneGroup.com
Member relations Karen.Keith@LeadstoneGroup.com
Karen Keith
Production & Printing: Unicom Graphics
Subscriptions Subscriptions@OilfieldPULSE.com
Jeannie Yip
Telephone 1-403-537-6560
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Toll Free
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REIDCO PRECISION FABRICATION
CUSTOM MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION RUNS OF PRECISION STEEL AND ALUMINUM PARTS.
Reidco Metal Industries Ltd.
Setting Industry Standards
Reidco Metal Industries Ltd. specializes in custom manufacturing and production runs of precision steel and aluminum parts. With more than 30 years experience, the company has gained a reputation for its high quality fabrication expertise and excellent customer service, supplying literally thousands of different parts to customers in Canada and the United States. Reidco parts and components are manufactured to meet the requirements of a wide range of industries, including the exacting standards of U.S. military vehicles, the long-wearing reliability of the heavy-duty trucking industry, the precise tolerances of the electronics industry and the rugged durability of the oilfield service industry. From our 65,000 square foot facility our manufacturing processes include shearing, CNC punching and stamping, laser cutting, CNC forming and welding to CWB certification for both steel and aluminum. We have a stable, highly trained and experienced workforce of skilled trades professionals and engineers and our strategic location allows us to keep overhead costs low, which is reflected in our competitive pricing. Our Pro-E, Autocad and Solidworks modeling capabilities ensure accuracy when handling the tight tolerances in customer product specifications. The company is ISO 9001 (2008) certified to ensure consistent high quality for all parts and components. Reidco has been a supplier to Ecoquip since 2006 and is very proud to be part of the supply chain to such a high quality oriented manufacturer.
REIDCO METAL INDUSTRIES LTD. 4290 Highway 97 North, Kelowna, British Columbia V1X 7S3 Tel. 250.765.2941 Fax. 250.765.2950 Web. www.reidcometal.com
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Advanced Multi-Stage Fracturing Technology
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Company OverviewLogan Completion Systems Offers a
Completion Systems(LCS), (LCS),an is innovative an innovative oil and service Comprehensive Line of Completion Products:oil and gasLogan Comprehensive Lineoilof and Completion Products: Logan Completion Systems (LCS), an innovative Logan serviceCompletion company Systems gasgas service company company with operations Canada, United and the international with operations in Canada, the United States, and the international with operations market, in Canada,inthe Unitedthe States, andStates, the international market, provides high-quality services to • MultiStim Fracture equipment, and remedial and stimulation • MultiStim Fracture and provides high-quality equipment, and remedial services to market. LCS provides high-quality equipment, and stimulation remedial and stimulation Isolation Systems Isolation Systemsoil and•gas Service Tools markets, along with • Service the unconventional fracturing the a unconventional oil and gas fracturing along withTools a along with services to the unconventional oil and gasmarkets, fracturing markets, comprehensive line of completion products that includes conventional • Casingproducts Patches line of of completion thatthat includes • Casing Patches • Flow Control • Flow conventional Control acomprehensive comprehensive line completion products includes conventional, completion, thermal, well completion, thermal, well construction, and other multi-zone completion construction, and other multi-zone completion • Open Hole Packers • Open Hole Packers • Liner Hangers • Liner Hangers thermal, well construction, and other multi-zone completion products products and services. What sets LCS apart, in addition to itsproducts superiorand services. What •sets LCS apart, in addition to its superior Completion Tools • Completion Tools • Thermal Liner Hangers • Thermal Liner Hangers and services. equipment, is its focus on ensuring 100% customer satisfaction equipment, throughisthe its focus on ensuring 100%&customer satisfaction through the • Retrievable • Retrievable & • Thermal Completions • Thermal Completions integrity and reliability of its employees. integrity and reliability ofacquired its employees. Logan International Inc. the — Source Energy Permanent Packers PermanentCanadian Packers companies • Custom Tool Design • Custom Tool Design Tool Services Inc. and Complete Oil Tools Inc. — in May and Logan International Inc. acquired the Canadian companies — Source Energy Logan International Inc. acquired the Canadian companies —August SourceofEnergy • Mud Motors • Mud Motors & Development & Development 2010, respectively. These wholly-owned of Logan International Tool Services Inc. and Complete Oil Tools Inc. — in May and Tool Services August of Inc. and Complete Oil Toolssubsidiaries Inc. — in May and August of 2010, respectively. These wholly-owned subsidiaries of Logan 2010, respectively. These wholly-owned subsidiaries International of Logan International merged and were renamed “Logan Completion Systems” in 2011. This name merged and were renamed “Logan Completion Systems” inchange merged 2011. This and werethe renamed “Logan Completion Systems” in 2011. Thisthe aligned Corporation and its operating subsidiaries under name change aligned the Corporation and its operating subsidiaries name change under the aligned the Corporation and its operating subsidiaries under the world recognized LOGAN brand. world recognized LOGAN brand. world recognized LOGAN brand. Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, Logan Completion Systems Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, Logan Completion Systems Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, Logan Completion Systems theother othercompanies companiesininLogan LoganInternational’s International’sdownhole downholetool tool complements the other companies in Logan International’s complements complements downhole toolthe segment — Logan Oil Tools, Dennis Tool Company, Kline Tools, Logan Scope, segment — Logan Oil Tools, Dennis Tool Company, Kline Tools, Logan segment — Logan Oil Tools, Dennis Tool Company, Kline Tools, Logan and Logan and enhances its offerings to Logan International’s Scope, and Logan Xtend — and enhances its offerings to Logan Scope, and Xtend Logan — Xtend — and enhances its offerings to Logan International’s customers by combining its products and services. customers by combining and International’s customers its by products combining itsservices. products and services.
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MultiStim Fracture Isolation Systems MultiStim Fracture Isolation Systems
Logan Completion proprietary multi-stage fracturing technology is used in horizontal wells andand is unique in in thethe marketplace. Logan Completion Systems’ proprietary multi-stage fracturing technology isSystems’ used in horizontal wells is unique marketplace. is used in horizontal wells andSystems’ is unique in the marketplace. Logan Completion proprietary multi-stage fracturing technology is used in horizo Logan’s technology facilitates the removal of the balls seats post-fracturing, and leaves a fully-open wellbore that increases ring, and leaves Logan’s an fully-open technology wellbore facilitates that the increases removal production of the balls andand seats Logan’s post-fracturing, technologyand facilitates leaves an thefully-open removal ofwellbore the balls that andincreases seats post-fracturing, production and leaves an production capacity and allows easier downhole intervention without the need for costly andmilling debris-creating milling or the drilling costly and debris-creating flow capacityflow and milling allows or easier drilling downhole to remove intervention the seats. without flow thecapacity need forand costly allows and easier debris-creating downhole intervention or drilling without to remove the need for seats. costly and debris to remove the seats. Most of Logan’s competitors leave the seats in the well and produce the well with these restrictions remaining in place. The problem is with these re well with these restrictions remaining in place. The problem is Most of Logan’s competitors leave the seats in the well and produce the well Most ofrecommend Logan’s competitors leave the they seats potential in the well produce the well with restrictions remaining inofplace. The problem ogan’s competitors that these ball seats to limit their theclients full production that ofand the that reservoir. these ball Logan’s seats competitors limitthese the full recommend production to potential their clients thethat reservoir. they Logan’s competitor is thatBut these ball seatsby limit thedrilling full production potential ofto the reservoir. to their clients thatleave they e them in place. remove the theball problem seats with drilling the them up, process or alternatively, is remove simply the leave ballLogan’s them seats in bycompetitors place. drilling Butthem therecommend problem up, or alternatively, with the drilling to simply process is them in place. 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Rather thanvia milling the They balls feature and ballvalves seats, MultiStim technology her than milling balls and ball MultiStim technology post-fracturing threaded tubing with-out milling orfully drilling. Rather than milling MultiStim Fracture Isolation Systems have been specifically designed for multi-stage fracs. with removable the surfaceseats removes or leave the them ball at seats the bottom from the of the sleeve, wellbore. andwith-out can Theeither bringremoves them back theRather toball theseats surface or the leave sleeve, them atand the can bottom either of bring the them wellbore. back The to the surface or lea post-fracturing via threaded tubing milling or drilling. thanfrom milling the ballsand ball seats, MultiStim technology drilling process. advantages With the are MultiStim time savings system, and seats reduction can of either debrisbring created advantages from the areto drilling time savings process. and With the the reduction MultiStim of debris system, created can be the drilling process. removes the ball seats from the the sleeve, andbecan them back the surface or leave them at the bottom ofseats the from wellbore. removed within fewer problems and quite bit less debris. It removed gives Logan’s customers more options inahow to produce the well. customers more options how to produce the well. with fewer and quite bit debris. It gives Logan’s customers more The advantages are time savings and thea reduction of debris created from the problems drilling process. With theless MultiStim system, seats can be removed with fewer problems and quite a bit less debris. It gives Logan’s customers more options in how to produce well. stern Canada, MultiStim has beentechnology, well-received which since has it was beenintroduced used extensively throughout MultiStimWestern technology, Canada, which hashas been been well-received used extensively since throughout it wasthe introduced Western Canada, has to the market more thanwhich two-and-a-half yearsextensively ago. to the market more Canada, than two-and-a-half years ago. since it was introduced MultiStim technology, has been used throughout Western has been well received to the market more than two-and-a-half years ago.
Canada USA Growth in Canada, Canada GrowthUSA in Canada, Suite 850, 635 8th Avenue SW 11027 Lucerne Street Suite 850, 635 8th Avenue SW 11027 Lucerne Street Houston, Texas 77016-1920 USA Alberta T2P 3M3 Houston, Texas 77016Calgary, Alberta T2P 3M3 U.S. and Calgary, U.S. and AbroadCOMPLETION Abroad SYSTEMS COMPLETION SYSTEMS
A 27 Lucerne Street uston, Texas 77016-1920 USA 281.219.6613 X 281.227.7009
PH 403.930.6810 | FAX 403.930.6811 www.logancompletionsystems.com 888.486.6583 (toll free)
PH 281.219.6613 FAX 281.227.7009
PH 403.930.6810 | FAX 403.930.6811 PH 281.219.6613 www.logancompletionsystems.com 888.486.6583 (toll free) FAX 281.227.7009
HUB Search:
Logan
To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
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CEO Message
What’s all the HUBbub about? There are so many interesting stories in the patch just waiting to be told. Every week we come across cool stories about new and innovative technologies from our Oilfield HUB member companies. But it doesn’t stop there! We are also fascinated by the diverse interests and lifestyles of the owners and their staff, as well as the passion they readily share for their community and the special causes that are close to them and dear to their families. This is truly the heart and soul of the industry! Yet, every day, oil and gas companies and their service partners are constantly taking shots across the bow in the media from special interest groups and even the entertainment industry. If these were actual arrows, we would never storm the castle for fear of getting wounded or killed by the hundreds of archers standing in the way of our members’ success. We hear tales of the insane amount of money associated with the energy business, but it seems everyone still wants their cut of the action! The industry is continually being bombarded by negative press over very sensitive matters such as environmental impact; along with a multitude of other concerns they must cope with each and every day.
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We see it, we hear it, we read about it and talk about it constantly! Yes, these are sensitive issues and real matters
Member annouNcements To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
that must be properly and expediently addressed by the industry. In our travels around the patch we encounter plenty of great people with honourable intentions, skills and expertise that are doing just that. Yet these people and
Safety • Quality • Innovation • Integrity • Reliability
their companies are being overshadowed by this constant barrage coming at them from every direction. Even more unfortunate are the numerous untold stories of the heroes in the energy business, whose modesty and love for their community goes unnoticed to the public at large. We aim to change this in the pages and upcoming issues of Oilfield PULSE! We are not just another oil and gas trade magazine vying for your advertising dollars. Oilfield PULSE is the voice of our Oilfield HUB community. We are advocates for the great things that are happening in the
Tel: 403-930-6810 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • MultiStim Fracture Isolation Systems • Retrievable & Permanent Packers • Thermal & Non Thermal Liner Hangers • Service Tools • Casing Patches HUB SEaRCH:
Logan
industry and the untold stories of the people who truly make it happen! As you flip through the pages of this issue you’ll see just what we mean. We are very pleased to welcome Ecoquip Rentals and Sales to the front cover of the PULSE. The
Tel: 403-815-2016
Grabills, Les and his two sons Chris and Tim, lead this
PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Brokerage • Reconditioning Shop • New and Used Equipment Sales • Facility Commissioning/De-Commisioning • Land Sales
family run business. Get to know them, and it’s not hard to imagine why they are successful. Their company is also surrounded by a great entourage of dealers, suppliers and manufacturers who both contribute and benefit from their association with Ecoquip and the Grabills. We are excited to be able tell some of their stories as well. Thanks gents!
HUB SEaRCH:
Energyauctions
We hope you will find this issue and our approach refreshing, interesting and certainly a change of pace from other industry mags! Whether you’re a service and supply, or an exploration and production company we want to hear
Big Picture Thinking
and learn more about you. And so do our readers! And by the way, check out our new mobile version of the magazine and our PULSE Interactive website at www.OilfieldPULSE.com. Now we’re getting the positive words out there that truly count and matter to us all! Kevin Turko, CEO Leadstone Group
Tel: 403-255-2770 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Preliminary Geophysical Services & Permitting • GIS & Online Mapping Services • Pipeline Locating & GPS Field Mapping • 3D Laser Scanning; Short & Long Range • Enhanced Surveying Technologies; GPS/INS HUB SEaRCH:
Seisland
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Ecoquip A Story of Innovation and Perseverance: A Better Pump Jack is Here
The Canadian oil patch is a beehive of technology innovation and Calgary-based hydraulic pump jack manufacturer, Ecoquip, is a good example of the principle in action.
How does an Ecoquip hydraulic pump jack work? Pretty much like a car’s braking system. Press your car’s brake pedal and fluid moves from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders. Release the pedal and the fluid flows back to the master cylinder. Something similar happens with the Ecoquip hydraulic pump jack.
A
The system has two primary components: the slave cylinder that mounts on the wellhead and a skid-mounted power unit. The power unit contains a master cylinder with four chambers, two slave cylinders that move the polish rod, a positive displacement swash plate-type hydraulic pump, motor and control panel.
One of the technologies that emerged from Western Canada is the hydraulic pump jack.
Chamber A in the master cylinder displaces fluid to the slave cylinders, forcing them to rise as the master cylinder piston moves downward. Chambers B and C add energy to the system. Chamber D is the accumulator and stores pressurized nitrogen, which stores energy as the polish rod moves down, then uses that energy to help move the polish rod during the upward stroke.
lot of Western Canada’s oil is hard to get to. Whether it’s tight oil in the Bakken Formation, the oil sands of northern Alberta, or heavy oil around Lloydminster, Canadians have brainstormed new ways to produce unconventional crude oil.
Everyone is familiar with that old standby of oilfield production, the pump jack, with its distinctive horse-head nodding up and down, day and night, powering the pump located thousands of feet beneath the surface. There are thousands of oil wells in the West and many of them will be produced using pump jacks.
Sometimes, the simple pump jack isn’t the best option. In that case, producers are turning more and more to hydraulic pump jacks like the ones manufactured, distributed and serviced by Ecoquip Rentals and Sales Ltd. Oil patch veteran Les Grabill and his partner Glen Schultz founded the company in Calgary in 1992. Grabill found himself laid off for the first time in 28 years and decided to turn bad luck into a good opportunity. He started selling used oilfield equipment and did well. But as luck would have it, a couple of inventors with a new idea for a hydraulic pump jack stumbled across his path and he was intrigued by their concept. Over a period of 7 years, Les Grabill and Glen Schultz took over the development of the pump jack amongst other business activities, but decided to go fully commercial with the pump jacks in 2000. Les has since entered semi-retirement in 2006, but eldest son Tim remains as President of the operating company and has been involved with the expansion of the company since 2002, while his other son Chris came on board in 2006 and serves as Vice-President of Operations.
Les Grabill says the Ecoquip system replaces the old-style method of using a valve to reverse the fluid flow when changing from one stroke direction to the other. That system created pressure spikes and heat that over time (sometimes not much of it), caused the system to prematurely fail. That’s why in the early days, customers mostly wanted to rent rather than buy hydraulic pump jacks. Renting made sense for early adopters, minimizing their risk and giving them a chance to become familiar with the technology. In theory, if the new widget doesn’t work as advertised, the producer can always give it back and stop the rental payments. Fortunately for Ecoquip, the rentals were a big hit with customers. Ecoquip has seen a trend that as the hydraulic pump jacks proved themselves; customers were more inclined to buy rather then rent.
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“We started out thinking we were always going to rent and act like a service company, but companies saw the value and pushed us to build more and sell. Five years ago I would have said we had 35% of our fleet sold and 65% rented. Now it’s flipped, if not higher than 65% sold,” Chris Grabill said, “More companies are comfortable buying our units and moving them, servicing them themselves, finding the use and reliability of them very beneficial.”
The rental model was also good for Ecoquip because it provided cash flow and allowed the company to cautiously develop the technology, test it and prove it without the need to rush it into the marketplace. Ecoquip’s hydraulic pump jacks have four major advantages over competitors:
1
Quality
The early hydraulic pump designs – some of which are still used today – just didn’t work, according to Ecoquip founder Les Grabill. Their design caused high pressure spikes and heat in the hydraulic system that deteriorated equipment in a short period of time. The Ecoquip design eliminated this and has far less hydraulic fluid to cool which in Ecoquip’s case, created a much more reliable system. A great design combined with high quality manufacturing resulted in units that work reliably and last. The prototype is still in the rental fleet today. “We’re happy that our idea has been successful. We knew it would be costly to build,” said Les Grabill. “We’re not interested in building something cheap.”
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2
Controls
Competitors put their controls on the wellhead. According to Ecoquip, sensor bars and proximity switches provide poor measurement signals for controlling stroke and speed. They also don’t function well in cold and inclement weather and operators frown on locating controls with electrical signals that close to the wellhead. Ecoquip controls are internal and located on the power unit, which is 20 feet or more away from the wellhead. A magnetic probe measures the position of the piston in the master cylinder. Operators can set stroke length from 0-144”. Easy peasy, which really helps during the early days of a well’s testing when operators are changing pump variables regularly to match in-flow.
3 Nitrogen Counter-balance Ecoquip uses enough nitrogen to hold the static rod weight of the well, usually around 20,000 pounds. That means the hydraulic pump jack is just pumping differential pressure. “When I’m working on my maximum parameters 6 to 8 strokes a minute, 144 inch stroke length, lifting 35,000 pounds - my hydraulic hoses aren’t shaking and jumping around and the equipment doesn’t get a big stress,” said Tim Grabill. “And there’s also not a big shock to the pump and other equipment downhole.”
4
Customer service
In the early days, when hydraulic pump jacks had a poor reputation and the oil industry didn’t want to hear about them, customer service was a critical part of the Ecoquip business model. When the customer agreed to rent a unit, they needed it serviced or repaired PDQ (pretty damn quick) if there was an issue. “The major thing we’ve always focused on is customer service,” said Chris Grabill. “People were taking a risk on us because we’re a new company, a new product. We really want people to be comfortable with the equipment. I guarantee you’ll get great service.” The company is poised for a significant expansion over the next few years. Now that the development and testing phases of the hydraulic pump jack have been proven over 15 years and the product has been well accepted
in the Western Canadian market, the time has come to get serious about building out their dealer network and exploring new markets. “We have a dealer in Manning, Alberta, Leading Edge, who has their own rental fleet of our pump jacks and takes care of rental and sold units north of Grand Prairie and I’d like to replicate that type of relationship in Saskatchewan and North Eastern Alberta,” says Tim. “The Bakken area, as everyone knows, is blowing up and the best way for us to get in there is not to set up a branch, but to give the knowledge base to some local providers and give them the opportunity to represent our equipment.”
Ecoquip has had plenty of interest from international customers and exporting is definitely in the company’s future. “In Canada, we’ve just scratched the marketplace that is there” explains Chris. “We have not expanded into the international market yet, which is a huge opportunity. I feel the Ecoquip hydraulic pump has a budding opportunity at this stage.” “We have the 9000-6 unit that is a really good fit for many applications because it covers such a wide range of other conventional pump jacks. The power unit is about the size of a small sedan,” says Tim. “It compares to a number of conventional pump jacks from 114 to 912 pump jacks, we’re significantly smaller but equally as powerful. With our recent developments we have further increased our
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stroke length to 158”, SPM can range from less than 1spm to greater than 8spm depending on stroke length with polish rod loads up to 35,000 lbs. And we’re also easily mobile, which is a big advantage for producers in remote areas. Sizing of pump jacks has become a thing of the past when we can offer so much in one unit.” With Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage slowly becoming a prominent method of production in the Alberta oil sands, Ecoquip expects SAGD to become a larger market. “We also have a 9000-9 unit that can do a 240” stroke and PRL of 60,000 lbs. and has all the features and power of our other units. This long, controllable, reliable stroke is the best option for pumping oil sands applications,” says Chris.
For lower producing wells, Ecoquip is working on a smaller design which will meet the price point for this market but still give their customers the reliability and service they have become familiar with.
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Ecoquip is a classic Canadian oil patch story of innovation and perseverance. After 20 years innovating, testing, renting, selling and servicing under founder Les Grabill, the company is ready for a major expansion under his sons Tim and Chris. Markham Hislop, Contributing WRITEr
Jump On Board The PULSE Interactive Experience! eBook e u q i n u a vices! s created e a d h e l E i b S L o U m Oilfield P lusively for your e exc magazin
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In each issue, you’ll find the same colourful content you’ve come to expect with Oilfield PULSE. We take that one step further in the eBook version and put the content into overdrive with exclusive links, videos and features.
Calgary Women in Energy Promoting, Supporting and empowering women in the energy sector
Calgary Women in Energy (CWIE) is a non-profit membership society dedicated to supporting women working in the Energy sector here in Calgary. The group was born in 2002 when 6 women working in the oil and gas industry started meeting for weekly breakfasts. Each looking to share ideas, knowledge and experiences to grow in their careers, they looked to like-minded individuals who understood the challenges faced by women in the industry. At a time when oilmen’s groups were strictly for men, these informal breakfast meetings quickly grew as more women identified with the need to network and learn from each other. These 6 women were the founding members for the CWIE we know today.
Calgary Women in Energy has come a long way since its beginnings with a dynamic membership now nearing 100 women. CWIE has positioned itself as a strong, dynamic and generous group of professional women. With members ranging from sales people to office administrators, engineers to safety analysts, CWIE strives to help its members grow in their respective professional roles, and make an impact on the local community. This is achieved through monthly technical sessions, bringing in professionals from all different facets of the industry to educate “beyond one’s cubicle”. Other monthly events include a mix and mingler open to men and women of the Energy sector as well as serving at the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre. The founding principles of CWIE include education, community involvement, networking and mentorship. Even though the challenges in the industry have changed dramatically since its inception in 2002, CWIE is still a group where women with integrity, shared aspirations and a desire to make a positive impact in both their industry and the community come together to support and grow with one another.
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Member annouNcements To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
CWIE has positively impacted the Calgary community through its charitable initiatives. Since 2006, CWIE members have volunteered over 1000 hours at the Calgary Drop-In Centre, raised over $9,000 for the CIBC Run for the Cure and donated their time to other charities like Soup Sisters and the Calgary Food Bank. The signature fundraising event is the CWIE golf tournament, held every July at D’Arcy Ranch in Okotoks. Since the first tournament in 2003, CWIE has donated over $230,000 to local women’s charities.
Experienced Personnel Providing Downhole Tool Solutions
Tel: 403-243-1442 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Artificial Lift (Anchors, Rotators, Separators) • Flow Control (Sleeves, Nipples, Plugs) • Completions (Packers, Anchors, Bridge Plugs) • Protective Coatings (HARD KOTE, TEF KOTE) HUB SEARCH:
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Planning for the 2013 tournament is currently underway, with proceeds, this year, being donated to Discovery House, a long-term shelter for abused women in Calgary. For more information regarding the tournament and their charity of choice go to www.CWIE.org.
CWIE is dedicated to promoting, supporting and empowering women within the Calgary energy sector. More than a networking group, CWIE is a vibrant collection of professional women with integrity, shared aspirations and a desire to make a positive impact in both the industry and community through mentorship, education, networking plus charitable work. For more information regarding CWIE please visit their website at www.CWIE.org. Calgary Women in Energy Board of Directors
YellowRaincoat Premier Company in Laser and Waterjet Cutting
Tel: 403-250-2603 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Industrial cutting utilizing lasers and waterjets
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LaserEquation
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plains fabrication and supply
Calgary Custom manufaCturer gets it right by listening Calgary’s Plains fabrication and Supply has been successful over the company’s 24-years spent manufacturing mostly pressure vessels and pressure piping. Their products largely wind up in the oil fields of northern and southern Alberta, though they have occasionally landed in far flung oil producing locales in other parts of the world. Touring the new Plains fabrication and Supply 90,000 sq. ft. shop located on venture Avenue, near the southeast edge of Calgary, it becomes readily apparent that the pride, commitment and quality are the main focus of all employees throughout the company. Plains is a business that has been built on the efficiency, innovation, and co-operation of a group of dedicated owners, employees and industry connections. Anyone not impressed by the sight of a team of welders assembling a 12 ft diameter x 60 ft long pressure vessel is either plain jaded, or works on the shop floor and is accustomed to seeing them put together all the time. The vessels, when packaged and finished, are bound for the oil sands.
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Currently, the fabrication company is going through a marked period of growth and re-organization, hence the move to a new plant on venture Avenue. While the company is expanding, its aim is to become as efficient and eco-friendly as possible. It all started in the late 1980s, when current President and CEO Chester nagy along with several others founded Plains fabrication and Supply from the ashes of a preceding company. nagy and the fellow founders decided to correct the mistakes of its forebear and invested in building a newer, better, smarter manufacturer. So, from 1988 until 2010, the Plains shop resided in the Ramsey Saddleview Industrial Park, near the Stampede
a Goal Is a dream wIth a deadlIne / napoleon hIll
www.OilfieldPULSE.com
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On its own, the pressure vessel is like a work of art, for the precision steel work and oblong shape. Pondering the know-how and skill involved in its assembly is fascinating, and this is just the smaller scale of the pressure vessels and piping packages that Plains has been manufacturing since 1988.
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Grounds in the heart of Calgary. Plains has successfully moved on from that location and they have never looked back. The main reason for the move was Ownerships ability to realize the Ramsey location was
“Where customers and suppliers become partners in success”
no longer a viable option if the company was to grow and improve its production techniques. The shop was getting too small for the volume of production. Also, the inner city location was creating its own difficulties, and the result was the company turning away as much work as it was taking in.
Smits Insulation Services Ltd. (403) 212-0180 -
To nagy, the partner who owns the largest stake in the company, a change needed to be made. The goal of the Ownership was to take the combined experience of its employees and industry to build a plant that allowed the company to produce a superior product using the most efficient and effective manufacturing techniques. “We were facing the ever growing problem that we were simply not able to ship the size of the product
Vessel Insulation Pipe Insulation Glycol Tracing Steam Tracing In-Shop Heat Treating Removable Blankets
Proud Insulation Contractor For Plains Fabrication and Supply Since 1997
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Get the competitive edge with
Leading Edge
Leading Edge Artificial Lift Systems Ltd.
Leading Edge Sales and Rentals Ltd.
was founded in 2007 by Bryan Shields, Troy Shields and Doug Whitaker. We are a proud dealer and service provider of Ecoquip Rentals and Sales Ltd. In our search for the leading edge of the pump jack world, we came across various designs but none more advanced than that of the Ecoquip 9000 series hydraulic pump jacks. These pump jacks have the ability to test and optimize production with the touch of a button and the dependability that surpasses expectation under all conditions. Leading Edge ALS provides rentals, sales and service for Northwest Alberta and British Columbia. With the specialized two-man crew, Leading Edge can have the Ecoquip pump jack up and pumping within 3 hrs after arriving on-site. Whether your company needs to test a well, or for long term low impact rod pumping, Ecoquip pump jacks are the way to go.
was founded in 1995 by Bryan Shields in Manning, AB. When Bryan was old enough to reach the pedals in his dad’s old farm truck, he knew then that he was meant to be on the open road. After he graduated high school, Bryan started his own cattle hauling business. He learned a lot about business, people and friendships. Over the years he learned that trucking was like farming, once it is in your blood, it flows right into your heart. The oilfield was the next step to further his trucking ambition. Leading Edge started with hot shot trucks and a small picker. As the years went by, the trucks got bigger.
Leading Edge ALS provides well optimization services as well as being a supplier of various Plunger Lift Systems. From fluid shots to dyno’s, Leading Edge ALS technicians will help you keep your production on track. Our team is always researching new technologies to increase your production and provide the support to make it work.
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Today, 35 ton tri-drive tandem steer cranes are used for the bigger lifts and 22 ton knuckle pickers for the specialty lifts. Our 35 ton crane has a longer stick than most at 100Ft; this is due to the demand of the gas plants and oil batteries to reach higher and farther, but nimble enough to move rigs and pipe. The 22 ton knuckle picker was rigged up by Leading Edge with the intent to solve the impossible task of getting larger engines and compressors out of buildings without having to remove or dismantle buildings. Leading Edge is always looking for innovations to make lifting and hoisting a safe and enjoyable part
of the daily operations of the Patch. Leading Edge is equipped for your oilfield transportation needs. Leading Edge recently expanded to become an agent of Rosenau Transport Ltd. Rosenau is a large LTL freight company in Western Canada. Leading Edge is proud to provide Terminals in Peace River and Manning, Alberta. With our help, Rosenau Transport will expand to the north and provide a local view on customer support. Rosenau was built on service and Leading Edge will help them provide it. Doug Whitaker, Leading Edge
Custom Software Applications for the Oil and Gas Industry From Concept to Next Generation
“CKR Global has been working with Data Shapers since late 2007. Our clients require a high level of confidence in the stability and security of our applications. Data Shapers has been able to accommodate our requirements and our clients, professionally and effectively throughout the years.�
Phone: 403-537-6560 Toll Free: 1-866-883-8848
www.DataShapers.com
madex making the rigs move Once an oil or gas well is drilled and completed, the producer’s production department assumes responsibility for the operation. When issues of well performance arise, the affected well is handed over to a well servicing contractor for remedial action. By their nature, well servicing companies require a countless number of products and services to keep them on the road and on site. That is where Madex Supply Ltd., comes into the equation. Company president Ty Sanders describes his business, Madex Supply Ltd., as a ‘one-call-does-it-all’ warehouse for the well servicing industry; or as Ty puts it, “a COSTCO for the oilpatch”. During his time spent working on well servicing rigs, Sanders saw the potential in providing the products and services required by working service rigs. In early 2005 he established Madex Supply Ltd., serving the service industry in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan as well as Mexico and Australia
from traditional products such a ‘rope, dope and soap, to drill line and downhole pumps, Madex provides a variety of necessary product for companies running singles, doubles, PMX and swabbing rigs. Madex also provides a hotshot service, which delivers essential parts and materials that are required to keep the rigs running.
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lIfe Is anythInG that dIes when you stomp on It / dave barry
Your trusted oilfield equipment provider, serving clients in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the United States, Australia and Mexico.
Fast personalized customer service at a great price! For more information call us at 780-986-2568
24/7 Service & Repair
Products
Our company is founded on a commitment to 24/7 customer service. We have one of the best turnaround times since we are a smaller company who take pride in the quality of our work.
We stock a vast inventory of everyday consumable products, making us a convenient stop for your well-servicing needs. Customers also appreciate our equipment repair and re-certify services. Plus, you’re working with experts – the Madex team boasts many years of oilfield knowledge.
Location #103, 3923 - 81 Avenue, Leduc, AB T9E 8S6 • Contact us at: Ph(780)986-2568 or Fax: (780)986-0296 Email: tys@madexsupply.com or thomer@madexsupply.com
Madex also has full range of any hot-shot or trucking company out there. So no matter what the size or the place, we can get it to you fast and efficiently.
Les Grabill: Building a Better Pump Jack
Meet Les Grabill, inventor of the proverbial better mousetrap. Or, in his case, a hydraulic pump jack that actually works. History is replete with inventors who never perfected a technology. How many tried to create a working incandescent bulb before Thomas Edison succeeded? Or the telephone before Alexander Graham Bell? The answer is, a lot. The same is true of hydraulic pump jacks. Grabill says the first hydraulic pump jacks used in the oilfield date back to the early 1950s. They were without exception, failures. Producers were happy to try a new technology, and they may have worked for a little while, but eventually they broke; sometimes they broke catastrophically, which meant the oil patch quickly soured on them. Production engineers and small oil companies will try something once if they think it will save money or increase production – preferably both – but once that new widget has proven to be a dud, getting them to try it again is a tough sell. Les Grabill is a determined guy, and when he was laid off in 1992 after 28 years with an Alberta rock bit company, he crossed paths with a couple of inventors who thought they had fixed the early problems with the hydraulic pump jack. Grabill had started his own business selling used oilfield
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equipment. The inventors asked him to take their new product to market. He sold a couple of the units, but they proved to be a “dismal failure.” But Grabill could see the potential. All those years in the oil patch had taught him to recognize technology that solves a problem when he saw it. “It was intriguing because it was one of the few parts of the oilfield industry that had no new technology in the previous 40 or 50 years,” he said. With a few design tweaks, Grabill thought the hydraulic pump jacks could be made to work. So he set out to do just that. It took a couple of years. Grabill and his partner didn’t rush development. They knew it was better to get the product right the first time, rather than ask producers to buy poorly designed and built equipment. Eventually, they produced a prototype and figured out a way to overcome the design flaw that condemned the other hydraulic pump jacks to failure. The issue was deceptively simple; converting the rotary motion of the motor to the linear motion of the pump jack. Early designers had used a valve to stop the flow of the hydraulic fluid and send it in the other direction. If the
jack was stroking six times per minute, that meant every five seconds, fluid under very high pressure came to a shuddering halt and headed back in the opposite direction. “When you slam the valve shut to change the direction of the cycle, that 2,000 psi could spike anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000, maybe even 20,000 psi,” said Grabill. Not surprisingly, the units quickly failed. “Hoses were popping, valves were cracking. Then it would get 25 or 30 below and the oil would get thick. There wasn’t anything that would last,” said Grabill. “There are still systems just like that on the market. People are still trying to make them work, and they still fail according to the way they always did in the past.” The challenge was to eliminate the pressure peak in the pumping cycle. Grabill’s solution was to use a swash plate hydraulic pump, where the pistons stay parallel to the output shaft, greatly reducing stress on the system. “We decided to pump one cylinder with another cylinder, driving it with a swash plate pump,” he said. The company applied for patents for its new design and received 28 out of 29 claims on their applications. The Ecoquip design proved to be very effective and rugged. In fact, one of the initial prototypes is still in service after 17 years. But having a better mousetrap wasn’t the only hurdle to be surmounted. The company still had to sell its products. Grabill says the oil patch buys on price, not value, but after the industry’s experiences with the early hydraulic pump jacks he wasn’t interested in manufacturing a poor quality unit. “We focused on precise engineering and quality, machined components to build,” he said. How to convince price conscious production engineers to invest in the premium hydraulic pump jack? The answer was to have them rent units instead of purchasing. “There was no risk on the part of the oil company by renting our equipment. That proved to be relatively successful for two reasons. One, it gave the customer the opportunity to try the equipment, see how it worked. Two, it created income and cash flow for us,” said Grabill. Ecoquip has now manufactured about 150 units and is ramping up operations. Grabill says the company is ready to expand and is eyeing international markets. The hydraulic pump jack may not be ready to replace every little pump jack in every little oilfield in the world, but Grabill says it can more than compete with the bigger units. Which is the sign of a better mousetrap, right?
Member annouNcements To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
Our products are designed to be easily serviced in the field
Tel: 403-207-9715 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Liquid Flow Meter - works in sand • Multi-Plate Orifice Meter change plates while flowing • Automated Gas Flow Meter and Rate Control • Control Valve - bidirectional and field serviceable • Tescom Regulators and Reyco Pressure Relief Valves HUB SEARCH:
SurFlo Leading the Industry
Tel: 403-844-2141 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Stress Relieving • Controlled Bolting • Hydro-Testing • Portable Machining • Rentals & more HUB SEaRCH:
TOMCO Complete Directional Drilling Services
Tel: 403-264-8206 PRODUCTS & SERVICES • Horizontal Wells • Directional Drilling • Positive Pulse MWD • Serving Western Canada and North Dakota • State-of-the-art technology & equipment HUB SEaRCH:
Millennium
Markham Hislop, Contributing WRITEr
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D&D Machine
Works Ltd.
Your Machining Solution Center
We at D&D Machine Works Ltd. would like to congratulate Ecoquip as a leader in the field of artificial lift equipment. We consider it a privilege to have partnered with Ecoquip in excess of 20 years as a supplier of precision machined and welded components. D&D Machine Works is now in its 40th year of operation. Our commitment to customer service, quality and on time delivery is shown in many long-term relationships with our customers. D&D Machine is “Your Machining Solution Center� with expertise in CNC machining, manual machining, manufacturing hydraulic cylinders, welding and fabrication. D&D Machine services a wide range of industries including but not exclusive to, agriculture, food processing, earth moving, transportation, oil and gas and primary manufacturing. We partner with our customer’s research and development teams to design and prove new or existing products.
The ability to perform these services resides in the talents and highly developed skills of our employees, our most important asset. D&D Machine is a certified CWB (47.1) welding shop and additionally offers full access to quality added services such as laser and water jet cutting, heat treating and surface finishing such as anodizing, nickel plating, powder coating, liquid nitriding, and hard chrome plating. We would like to thank Ecoquip for their continued support and trust in D&D Machine Works Ltd. to produce and provide quality components and service for their growing company. We are looking forward to many successful years to come. Dustin Vanderwood and Zlatko Begovic, D&D machine works ltd.
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Energy Auctions was founded in 2008 and has been gaining ground
Member at large
steadily every year. As a full-service brokerage/auction firm, we partner with our clients to deliver solutions that help solve their most complicated needs. Our services are designed specifically to help liquidate surplus as well as source equipment for projects. Utilizing our vast network of industry experts and functional expertise, Energy Auctions Inc. goes beyond the norm to develop new insights, drive results and help grow your business. There is no magic in how we do business, we know that you need to build relationships and earn trust from your customers. We believe we have done this and it is reflected in our success. We run an online auction the last Tuesday of each month. Our headquarters are located in Alberta, Canada. Our office is located at www.energyauctions.ca which is on every computer around the world. We have no borders. We have customers from Australia, Indonesia, Saudi, Lloydminster and Houston, etc. Visit our office today – I’m sure we can help!
HUB Search:
EnergyAuctions To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
#850, 635-8th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta T2P 3M3 Phone: 403.930.6810 Fax: 403.930.6811
www.loganinternationalinc.com
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XXXXXXXXXXXYOUR BESt Community SponSor
FRIEndS WItH BEnEFItS
employee attraction - reTenTion Employee attraction and retention is one of the foremost business challenges western Canadian employers face today! Added to that is the common employee perception that their employer is not engaged with them. This perception can be toxic, particularly in such a competitive market to attract and retain employees. But what can an employer do? One of the most common current practices has been to offer compensation greater than your competitors. This may generate new employees, but based on the higher pay foundation it creates a shaky basis for a long term employer/employee relationship. This environment is not new to western Canada. In the recent past there was a surge of employment opportunities and a scarce supply of qualified employees. For a time we experienced a retraction in this scenario. But here we are
again. The economic forecast lends itself to the opinion that the current employee scarcity is going to continue for several years. what are you currently doing to facilitate your need for new employees and retaining the ones you have? If you have done the research, or even just perused any of the various publications on the matter you will have learnt that there are a number of items that should be considered to remedy this problem. The unfortunate part is, in most cases, both business culture and practices must be altered first. For attracting employees, the days of simply placing an ad on this job board or that website are gone. Employers now have to invest in marketing to attain the employees they want. Innovation is required to “reach out” to your potential employee in a format that will speak to them. Although social media might seem foreign, checking LinkedIn and Facebook are daily activity for many young
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JUST wHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE HIT BOTTOM, SOMEONE TOSSES YOU A SHOVEL.
potential hires. website marketing and traditional want ad marketing compliment your other efforts. Placement or recruitment agencies can be effective, but be aware of the costs. Unconventional marketing might include generating a presence in places or forums where your potential employees might be. For example, if your employees tend to be “hockey dads/moms” look to advertising in some of the local hockey publications. Finally, one of the best sources of new hires is your current employees. Initiate an employee referral program where recognition and remuneration occur. Numerous employee surveys indicate that a high percentage of employees consider their employer as both unengaged and apathetic. retaining employees amidst this reality requires an entirely different set of “marketing” practices. The cost of losing an employee differs from employer to employer but there are some general similarities. Production loss is likely the most common followed by, of course, profit. The actual cost to replace a position is between 50 and 200% of that position’s annual salary, with 125% being the average. with this in mind it’s a great deal to “invest” in keeping your employee and the solution to retain employees is actually easier to define than one might think. Here are a few strategies that may help:
1. Hire the right person for the job. Qualifications and
2.
experience are valuable, but so to is the individual’s capacity to fit into your vision. Are they the type of employee you could grow to trust? what makes them tick? Do any of their goals and objectives coincide with your firm’s values? Listen to what your potential “new hires” are saying, particularly their goals and objectives. Are there similarities? If there are, use this new information in your future relations with employees.
3. Accept that in our current environment, employees
4.
move around a great deal more than they did several years ago. with that, if there’s an opportunity to learn from the departing employee this information could be invaluable. Use workplace marketing. Hr departments at larger firms spend a good deal of their resources communicating with employees. Employer engagement creates an environment that fosters employee retention. If you listen to the employee they will, in turn, listen to you. One of most common requests made by employees is for scheduling flexibility. Compensation is number two.
Compensation can include an employee’s salary or wage, but also includes items such as Employee Benefits, Group retirement Offerings, Employee Assistance Plans and wellness Programs. regular communications via channels that appeal to your employees (e.g. print, email, website, text etc.) should be a standard practice. Attracting and retaining employees is likely one of the largest challenges for your business, presently and in the future. Educating yourself is critical to your company’s success. Although it may seem like a huge project, creating Attraction / retention Programs is part of building success, as the employees are the foundation of your business’ potential and is well worth the effort.
DAVE F. MUSGrAVE, B.A. SENIOr EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST rENFrEw INSUrANCE
23 EVEr wONDEr wHAT THE SPEED OF LIGHTNING wOULD BE IF IT DIDN’T ZIGZAG?
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Having problems landing casing?
Not Anymore…. Stubby
PDC Drillable – Surface and Intermediate Casing
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ZEECO: smokeless, reliable well-site flaring
At Zeeco, we understand the everyday realities of the oil and gas production fields. Our engineered flares meet the strictest regulations and operate safely, smokelessly, and with fewer service issues. Choose an engineered flare company with more than 30 years of combustion and flare experience to back you up. Choose a company where humans answer the phone and where deadlines mean something. Choose Zeeco.
open • enclosed • high / low pressure • rentals
Zeeco, Inc. 22151 E 91st St., Broken Arrow, OK 74014 USA ZEECO® is a registered trademark of Zeeco, Inc. in the U.S. ©Zeeco, Inc. 2012
+1-918-258-8551 sales@zeeco.com zeeco.com
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Member at large Integrity Pump Service owners and staff take great pride in delivering excellent service as well as high quality products at a very fair price. Over the years our product lines and services have expanded in response to our constantly growing customer base, which in turn gives us the ability to help our customers keep their operating cost to a minimum. We are master distributors for National Oilwell, which includes pump lines such as: National, Oilwell, Wheatley, Gaso, Bear, Mission, PC pumps, mud pumps, etc. We have an excellent relationship with Gardner Denver and all other manufacturers. We are a master distributor for CoorsTek and a proud supplier of John Crane products, and also have pump contacts all over North America. At Integrity Pump Service we are constantly striving to exceed service expectations by creating the new standard for excellence in Oilfield Services. Our extensive parts inventory, machine shop, and on call service allows us to be prepared for just about anything pump related. We have many rebuilt pumps and packages ready to go at a few days notice and our fully equipped Service Trucks and Flat Deck are always ready to go. We have a full service machine shop ready to tackle any situation at any time. If we cannot get it, we can either make it or fix it – we take great pride in our timely repairs. Our attention to detail helps us to forecast and foresee any potential issues in the future and allows us to work with our customers to get as much run time out of their equipment as possible, without compromising their equipment in any way or having any surprise failures. We are very honest, and we respect the people that we work for. We take every job personally and take pride in doing an excellent job. It’s our expectation that our repairs last for many years, and we are not afraid to put a one year warranty on the repairs we do. Integrity Pump Service goes the extra mile to ensure the success and growth of our company. No matter if you call us the first time or the fifty-first time, we will treat you with respect, and never take our relationship for granted; we know our customers keep us going and without them we would not be in business. Safety and respect for our customers, employees and the environment have always been our main goal. Since 2008 we have continuously adapted our Safety Program to improve and ensure safe work practices for on-site and in-house work to make sure everyone gets home after a hard day’s work. We are SECOR certified, with up to date subscriptions to such programs as ISN and Comply Works. We take safety very seriously and will not do anything to harm our employees, damage customer property or sacrifice the environment in any way. We strive to overachieve on every job we do, so give us a call and let our extensive experience and knowledge combined with our industry contacts start working for you! HUB Search:
,17(*5,7< 3803 6(59,&( ,1&
Integrity To easily locate our members in OilfieldHUB.com, enter their HUB Search Name in the Oilfield HUB Search Engine
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Internet Promotion Distribution Branding gement a Social Media n a M MMaar rk k eetti n g Product Branding Minute t n e m e iral c a V l P Quality Blog Blog g in t e k r a M ia d e RANDING M l Is Socia Desig Storfeor your Business? Branding Viral Quality Planning D e s ig n ribution g Produc t Internet Blog Advertisin
Zenert’s
Social media is the latest fad in marketing. Every business owner and marketing team is asking about social media.
▪ ▪ ▪
Should we have a Facebook business page? Is Twitter better than LinkedIn? Should I hire a social media person?
These are all common questions – but they are the wrong questions. Better questions would be:
▪ What are the communications objectives? ▪ Will social media help me to meet those objectives? ▪ How will social media enable me to increase not only sales, but overall profitability of my business?
Here are four main issues you should examine before thinking about hiring a social media specialist or joining social networks for your business.
Does your business have a marketing plan? Do you have a working marketing plan that guides how you create and implement marketing strategies? Your marketing plan should define your target market and your key message. It should also contain a summary of ongoing marketing activities and have a schedule or calendar of marketing events. You can then look at social media as an add-on strategy and see how it can fit with other strategies to communicate your key message to your target market (as that is the reason for any marketing to exist).
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Do I have the people in place to make social media sustainable? Social media is not a quick fix to a sales problem. It is a long-term marketing strategy that produces results only after sustained work to build your online assets. You need people to be out in the virtual world spreading your message and you need someone to manage that process. Even more important – you need the top-level management to understand the strategy and commit to it for the long term.
Do I have the building blocks to create a company-wide social media policy? To implement a social media strategy without having a social media policy in place can be very dangerous. Social media can be detrimental if not planned properly and executed correctly. It’s definitely not rocket science, but you need to have some clear rules as to who can post on behalf of the organization. You should also have some guidelines as to what your employees can say in regards to the company and their respective job duties. The building blocks of a social media policy include a company privacy officer and privacy document. It also includes your website’s privacy information and terms of use and an understanding of the implications of social media at a senior management level (the last thing you want to hear is the CEO asking, “Why did you not tell me this could happen?” six months from now). Another building block is an updated HR policy manual and an understanding of social media by your human resources team.
t
g gn g
Why am I considering social media? Social media is not as simple as running an advertisement campaign or putting on an event. Effective use of social media involves sharing the culture of your organization with the world, and building a community that embraces that culture. Are you ready to expose your organization in that way? Can you be authentic? If you are simply adding social media because you think you need to follow the trend – then don’t do it!
Realize that social media – despite all the proclamations that spout FREE MARKETING – is not free. Social media is an investment in the long-term marketing of your company – as well as the building of your company into a community.
Social media marketing is harder than you think! I am not suggesting that an organization should not become involved in social media. In fact, I would suggest that every organization should be involved with it in some way – but it needs to be the right way for that organization. Jack Zenert, VP Sales and Marketing Beacon News
Where customers and suppliers become partners
in success
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www.OilfieldPULSE.com
Leaders in Safety and Training for the Oil and Gas Industry Enform is the safety association for Canada’s upstream oil and gas industry. Established by industry for industry, Enform helps companies achieve their safety goals by promoting shared safety practices and by providing: » Effective training, including courses on general and operational safety programs and petroleum fundamentals » Expert audit services » Professional advice Our vision is no work-related incidents or injuries in the Canadian upstream oil and gas industry. Contact Enform today for more information.
Email info@enform.ca Calgary 403.516.8000 Toll-free 1.800.667.5557 www.enform.ca
Metro Petruck Memorial Golf Tournament The tournament was held at Jagare Ridge Golf Course on May 16th; this year we had 120 golfers. There was a BBQ lunch before we started golfing and we had a dinner down at the OTS afterwards catered by Zambelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant. This was a bare bones golf tournament, not meant to make any money off of, but to honour past figures in the oilfield who have passed away. It was just our way of getting together and to remember. It started last year, 2011 with Dan Zimmer and this year we added Metro Petruk, the former OTS caretaker. In the future we will keep adding people to honor every year. Written By: Dan Zimmer Photos By: Leo Provencher, Titan Tubular
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Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show Leadstone Group was on hand to lend support to our Oilfield HUB members at the Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show in September. Advantage Products Inc. was the focus, with a spectacular front cover of Oilfield PULSE that was popular with attendees and fellow exhibitors at this sold out show. The Lloydminster Heavy Oil Show is the world’s premier showcase for Heavy Oil Knowledge and Technology. Uniquely situated on the border between the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the Lloydminster Heavy Oil show is surrounded by thousands of producing heavy oil wells of both cold and thermal production. This leading edge technology exhibition is a great opportunity for visitors to discover the substantial knowledge base that the show’s participants have and network with the exhibitors who attend the show. For businesses, this show is an excellent format to demonstrate to Canada and the world how heavy oil can be produced in a manageable and profitable manner.
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IF AT FIrST YOU DON’T SUCCEED, SKYDIVING IS NOT FOr YOU!
HENNY YOUNGMAN
This October 18th, we celebrated ShearFest, SHEAr BITS’ annual customer appreciation get together in downtown Calgary. The event was packed with approximately 200 customers mingling around a large display of the latest & greatest PDC bits from SHEAr BITS’ arsenal.
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A COMPUTEr ONCE BEAT ME AT CHESS, BUT IT wAS NO MATCH FOr ME AT KICK BOXING.
EMO PHILIPS
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Oilympics An Oil Patch Classic Twenty years ago, a group of guys from the oil patch in Calgary organized a week-long hockey tournament and invited players from the industry to sign up. They raised some money and decided to donate the humble amount to charity. The Executive Committee of Dale Hansen, John Nash, and John Ruzicki were shortly thereafter joined by Gerry Mumford. They never thought Oilympics would become what it is today: a classic oil patch fundraiser that supports local charities. More and more people started to hear about the event and soon Oilympics was raising large sums of money for local charities every year. About three years ago, Alex Halat, Ryan Knievel and Scott Logan joined the Oilympics Executive Committee. After the success of the 2012 – Oilympics Break-Cup Hockey Tournament and the Hockey Marathon (World’s Longest Game) that raised together over $2 million – the bar was set high. In 2013, Oilympics celebrated 20 years of bringing the industry together and raising money for great charities, sometimes inspired by the stories of our own players and their families.
The 20th Annual Oilympics Break-Cup Hockey Tournament decided to support the CJAY 92 Kids Fund - Secret Wish, the YMCA Calgary - Strong Kids, and the Huntington Society of Canada. Over the last 19 years the Oilympics have raised over $3.2 million for several charities throughout our community. The Oilympics featured a Kick-Off Dinner event on March 16th followed by a 5-day hockey tournament that ran from March 17th to 21st at the Flames Community Arenas. Funds were raised through corporate and individual sponsorships of the teams and donated silent and live auction items. The tourney included great hockey all week – with a variety of NHL Alumni playing together with over 350 players from the oil patch – and a fun family day that included family skate, BBW and face-painting. Everyone won at this tournament by giving back to our community while having some fun.
Members from L to R: John Ruzicki Cathedral Energy Services Gerry Mumford Continental Alloys & Services Dale Hansen Cobar Metals Alex Halat Star Valley Ryan Knievel Red Dog Drilling Scott Logan Summit Liability Solutions John Nash Canadian Energy Services
These are the guys that make it happen – Oilympics Executive Committee Members
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GOLD DIVISION
Gold Medal Winner: Gateway Tubulars
Silver Medal Winner: Alberta Tubulars
Bronze Medal Winner: Continental Tubular
S I LV E R D I V I S I O N
Gold Medal Winner: Stemcor
Silver Medal Winner: Trican
Bronze Medal Winner: Summit Tubulars
BRONZE DIVISION
Divisional Champions: Daler Pressure Services
2013 Charities Benefitting From This Tournament Main Charity Recipient CJAY 92 Kids Fund – Secret Wish The Secret Wish program began as a Christmas initiative. The holiday season is a difficult time for many families who cannot afford a lavish dinner or presents for their children. CJAY 92 decided to help out by providing toys for the kids, in addition to specifically needed items such as winter coats and cash. The challenge is that hardship doesn’t just occur at Christmas; it’s year round. So now CJAY 92 does a Secret Wish every Friday at 7:40am. Listeners nominate families who are going through tough times for a Secret Wish. The families we assist are often facing bleak circumstances due to illness or disabilities. The Gerry Forbes Secret Wish is not a contest but rather Calgarians helping Calgarians. The Secret Wish is funded by the CJAY 92 Kids Fund; therefore, we only help families with children and limit Secret Wish recipients to the Calgary area. http://www.cjay92.com/secretwish.aspx
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YMCA Calgary – Strong Kids Our YMCA Strong Kids Campaign provides much needed financial support to children and youth in our community who are unable to afford the full cost of access and participation in a YMCA program or activity. We help children and youth have positive experiences, make healthy choices, feel connected with others, and learn the skills required to become the leaders of today and tomorrow. One out of every four children and youth who enter our facilities are in need of and receive financial assistance. Our mandate is ‘WE NEVER TURN A CHILD AWAY’. Last year Strong Kids helped over 20,000 children and youth experience a YMCA program, whether it was basketball, leadership, camp, swim lessons or membership. 100% of all donations go directly to supporting the children and youth. http://www.ymcacalgary.org
Huntington Society of Canada (Huntington’s Disease) The Huntington Society of Canada (HSC) is the only Canadian health charity dedicated to providing help and hope for families dealing with Huntington’s Disease (HD) across Canada. HSC represents a national network of volunteers and professionals united in the fight against HD since 1973. We strive to: maximize the quality of life of people living with HD by delivering services, advocating for HD families, increasing awareness, and supporting further research leading to treatments to slow and to prevent Huntington’s disease. http://www.huntingtonsociety.ca Media Contact Maria Gisondo - (403) 815-1680 - eugeniagisondo@yahoo.com.ar www.oilympics.com
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Short Sighted Fines
PLAINS’ Perspective
will not keep people safe The Albertan and Canadian governments both have some incredibly forward thinking people as elected officials in their collective employ. As in any large organization, that doesn’t necessarily mean that extends to every person. The reason I mention this up front is because our recent business activity has put us “in the room” with some of these people, and I have been extremely impressed. I have met MPs, MLAs, and various members of government organizations from the NRC to other three, four, and five letter acronym departments, and I quite frankly have trouble remembering them all. Please don’t ask me to tell you what they stand for! We at Plains meet a wide variety of individuals, as all of us in business do, but often the stigma is that the government is made up of politicians and bureaucrats, and that can be hard to overcome.
For the purpose of this article, I hope the sentiment within reaches these forward thinking people in government. If we view the government as a large business, we can draw some parallels and maybe deal with a major concern we have involving Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S). I am speaking of the government’s move to control safety standard infractions by using a graduated system of fines. Plains doesn’t take issue, in any way, with cracking down on businesses that do not conform to safety standards. Quite frankly, if a business does not have a safety program to protect its workers, then that business should not exist, and if it does exist, the government should have every right to shut that business down without question. Our entire industry takes safety seriously, so please do not misconstrue the true meaning of this article. Fines may seem like a
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viable option for the government to use to enforce safety standards, but I think that is shortsighted and this is why: As a nation, we want our government to be fiscally responsible. We can see the evidence of what happens in the media when governments are not responsible, so when we (the voter) press the government to save, they often choose to cut. They cut department spending more often than they put money back in. In business we can’t throw money around either, and we often use a similar strategy. In those cases, it’s our employees who pay the price. We need to get as much as we can, for as little as we can, so we can make as much money as we can. It’s a shortsighted business strategy that many managers and owners employ, and I am proud to say we don’t use it. Sometimes it takes money to make money.
We can’t be spendthrifts in business or in government. I would never have made it as a manager these past 20 years if I had only spent money and never made any. I do not think when the government cuts spending it does so with truly thinking about the effects on the employee, or the manager who has to figure out a way to enact those cuts and continue to provide the exact same service. It is easy to remove funds in business, or in government, without having to spend much time thinking of the consequences. I can do so with the strike of a pen and the ramifications of that pen strike will fall to the managers below me. If I provide them with support and direction as well as sound reasoning, then I am a good manager (and from experience, I can say this rarely happens). But effective managing is a skill few really understand. Picture this scenario: with the stroke of my pen I remove funding. You are the manager whose funding I have removed. You are responsible for the health and safety of the entire workforce and you have a staff of individuals trained at multiple levels who are required to ensure workplace safety. With a reduced budget, the number of trained individuals whose responsibility it is to maintain safety standards are also reduced. Ultimately, if things go wrong in your department, no one will take funding reduction into account. They will simply look to the person accountable, which just so happens to be you. You are still expected to provide the same level of service to all industries, and yet you are looking at reducing staff or programs. With the severe growth of companies in Alberta, you are responsible for a rapidly expanding number of companies. As the amount of companies increases, the task of overseeing them properly becomes impossible. So the question asked of you is: how do we ensure businesses are following safety protocols? Well, businesses are all about the bottom line, so if we threaten to fine them
for infractions then surely they will not flout our rules. And if they do, we will hit them where it hurts. Now I’ll talk about the fines. This is not a new government strategy. I have seen it happen in Canada Customs. I was there on the front lines when they were first implemented. I went to the conferences to understand how they could affect the company I was working for at the time. Now they are instituting the same type of system in the world of OH&S. However, using fines to enforce rules assumes that all staff members are created equal. Even though our staff members are intelligent and hardworking people, in the world of welding, not all journeymen are created equal. Not all journeymen would be given the same job even though they have the same ticket. If you task all of your staff with the same level of ability to levy fines, including the staff members who do not share the same experience or have the same full understanding of a very large set of rules and regulations that are written and interpreted by lawyers, you have a system that you are setting up for failure. This system will breed distrust between companies and the government based on monetary posturing. This is a short sighted whip and it’s like bringing a knife to a gun fight, but why make this about drawing a line in the sand? What I am saying here is that businesses and the government have the same interest at the heart of this issue: we want to keep employees safe. So let’s sit at the table and find a way to do this without becoming adversaries in a courtroom. Let’s do this as a team whose only interest is in seeing an entire workforce go home to their families at the end of the day. That is what we are really talking about here. That is really the only thing that matters. Fines are a crutch, and I know we can do better. Fines will not ensure people will be safe! Tom McCaffery, General Manager Plains Fabrication
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“Neapolitan Style Pizza – crisp, thin crust, top quality tomato sauce and toppings reminds me of the pizza in Europe. I recommend to start with the meatballs, and then a pepperoni or confit chicken pizza. The 2008 Alkoomi Shiraz/Viognier from Western Australia is a perfect choice for an easy drinking wine, but the beer and wine list is extensive. Friendly service and a cool atmosphere makes Double Zero Pizza in Calgary, one of my favourite spots for client lunches, or a beer after work.” Chris Grabill, Ecoquip pump Jacks
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