Michael ANTON
Managing Director
ANFIELD SERVICES

A dynamic environment for services in Trinidad

Trinidad and Tobago

Michael Anton, managing director of Anfield Services, talks to The Energy Year about the benefits of taking on onshore contracts, how regional developments are impacting the local workforce and the company’s most significant achievements of 2022 and 2023. Anfield Services provides downhole fishing and abandonment services for drilling and workover operations in the Trinidadian oil and gas sector.

What opportunities does Trinidad and Tobago’s current onshore activity present to Anfield?
Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing a significant upswing in onshore oil and gas activity, resulting in a cascade of benefits for our local workforce. The increased demand for skilled professionals has ushered in a remarkable surge in training opportunities. For Anfield Services, the ability to have trainees engaged in wellsite operations and gain tangible experience is paramount to our growth and capabilities as a service provider.
This growth has not only bolstered expertise but also transformed the work environment. Onshore operations, which are known for their complexity, demand adaptability and innovation and this has created a consistently dynamic work setting, where we are seeing professionals engaging us in more modern well intervention practices.

How do you observe regional energy developments impacting the local workforce?
We are seeing more opportunities arising. However, we’re also noticing that a lot of the larger service companies are moving their head offices and human resources to Guyana. They will still have a presence here in Trinidad, but some of their tools and equipment have now left the country.
As a result, we are engaging in higher-level conversations with some clients about providing services that we have not provided to them before. The exit of larger services companies from the Trinidadian market has provided an opportunity for us to fill those gaps. We have expanded our drilling equipment, rental and services divisions to support the push into deepwater applications.

What are Anfield’s most significant achievements for 2022 and 2023?
There are several notable achievements we can speak of. We were able to expand our core equipment inventories and have supported clients locally and regionally on multiple projects, both onshore and offshore, for horizontal and deepwater applications.
We have added a rental line and service support of drilling jars for rental, and we have grown our subsidiary sales and technical service company, Bandera Oil Tools. Our growth has been bolstered by increased activity in local land operations and through the addition of supported products.
We reintroduced our support for downhole camera operations through a renewed agreement with our partner Royal Services and Rental. This was achieved through commitments made by our clients who require these services offshore. We were also able to successfully introduce one of our existing equipment lines for utilisation by a major operator locally.

How do you view Guyana as a market for your services?
In my opinion, Guyana is a good emerging market for companies who sell commodities and products, as well as for those who already have rental and service contracts with the major operators there.
Since our business is directly related to drilling activity, for us there would not be a major difference in the amount of work in Guyana as compared to what we have in Trinidad. We would also have to put tremendous capital output into Guyana just to be afforded the opportunity to tender. We are currently having discussions with some already established services companies operating in Guyana to partner for future projects and endeavours.

What key factors do you need to consider when expanding into new niches?
Expanding into new niches requires meticulous market research to understand customer needs and to analyse competitors. The adaptation of products or services to align with the specific demands of the niche is essential for success. Evaluating financial feasibility, including investment and potential returns, ensures sound decision-making. Compliance with regulatory requirements and a clear understanding of the legal environment are critical for seamless operations. Building a skilled team and implementing targeted marketing strategies contribute to effective niche penetration.
Such investments are tremendously capital intensive, so we must move strategically. We also need to ensure that we can deploy what we invest in. Once we get the commitment from the operators, we can make the investments in equipment and personnel required for the projects that they are pursuing.
The reduced availability of human resources and equipment within our borders means that it’s very important for operators to show a clear commitment to local services companies so that they can invest with minimal financial risk. Smaller businesses like us are looking to pursue these opportunities to grow and expand into a new niche, but we still need commitment and transparency from the operators.

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