Well services dynamics in Trinidad and Guyana

Trinidad and Tobago

Anthony Brash, managing director of Well Services Petroleum Company, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s main recent drilling projects and key factors the energy industry should address to better promote safety in operations. Well Services Petroleum Company provides contract drilling and well workover services.

What main drilling projects has Well Services undertaken in the past year?
Over the last year, we have been working consistently with Heritage Petroleum. We have two rigs currently drilling for them – our Rig 110 is drilling offshore in the Trinmar field and Rig 80 is drilling on land in their Forest Reserve, Palo Seco and Point Fortin Central fields. We started drilling 10 wells onland for Heritage in 2023 and completed that in October 2023.
Our production jackup rig, Rig 50, worked on wells for Heritage offshore on the west coast from February 2023 to September 2023. We serviced many of their wells, and also completed some using our Rig 110.
Our Rig 60, which is 1,500 hp and can drill down to 15,000 feet [4,572 metres], drilled a well for Trinity and started drilling for our own subsidiary company, Lease Operators Ltd., a well in Grande Ravine to 8,000 feet [2,438 metres].
We drilled 54 wells from two certificates of environmental clearance, but we did not realise that we had passed our quota – the EMA [Environmental Management Authority] gives companies these certificates to drill a certain number of wells. We applied for 50 wells, but actually drilled 54. This resulted in us having to stop drilling to wait for approval by the EMA to continue. This process, however, is very slow. The time for the approval process to be completed is time that we could have used to continue drilling more wells.

Have you managed to seize any opportunities in Guyana or Suriname within the last year?
In Suriname, we have our Rig 70 drilling for a company called Decker. This drilling operation is in Nickerie. Guyana is a different ballgame because it requires larger rigs like drillships and semi-submersibles. Our business only caters to shallow-water and onshore drilling. We have more opportunities in the shallow waters in Suriname than in Guyana.

What key factors should the energy industry address to better promote safety during operations?
HSE is a major factor that governs operations of various companies now. We are certified in ISO 14001, and 18001, as well as API Spec.Q1. Of course, we are also STOW [Safe TO Work] certified, which is mandatory for the oil companies in this market.
I would say that the root of the problem with incidents and accidents is that there is not enough continuity in drilling programmes. If you don’t have a continuous drilling programme, then a rig will be shut down and restarted, and you’re not going to get the same crew that meshed together after a few months of working together.
When you have the same crew working on projects continuously, there is a better working dynamic and improved concentration. When a new crew comes together, there is a higher chance that someone might get a squeezed finger or that type of accident at the start of a programme.

What impact has the development of neighbouring energy markets had on the workforce and services available in Trinidad and Tobago?
The development in neighbouring countries has taken a lot of the skilled labour from Trinidad. A lot of people have left Trinidad to claim opportunities in those countries. Schlumberger, for example, has pulled out and shut down their base at the La Brea Industrial Estate. Most of the tools required for directional or logging work are no longer as easily available here in Trinidad.

Has the market gap in services opened up opportunities for Well Services and other companies?
We are not heavily into some of the other services such as logging and cementing. We started providing perforating services through our subsidiary, Rigtech. We utilised Halliburton’s TCP [tubing-conveyed perforating] completion systems and started perforating for them. We also have a small logging unit and now companies like Halliburton are no longer providing that, and Schlumberger only has one unit left.
Local service companies will be able to take over most of the work when more of the competition leaves. This is also an opportunity for other entrepreneurs to try filling in the gap – to invest in wireline logging units and cementing units and other drilling services.

Trinidad and Tobago has over a century of experience in the energy industry. How does this position the country to become an educational hub?
Trinidad and Tobago has schools and training programmes relevant to the energy industry. We have a training programme at Well Services as well, but we mostly train our own employees. There are now companies in Trinidad who use simulators that allow individuals to train online. That also allows them to provide training in other territories, such as Suriname and Guyana.

Do you observe any challenges regarding the labour pool for services?
One problem is that there is not enough work for them in this market. We can train and educate more people, but then we have to have work lined up for them here if we want them to stay. Now, some of the workforce is taking up opportunities in Guyana and Suriname. Once they have experience, it’s easier for them to get a more permanent job in those countries.
Another issue that should be addressed is that even though some of the workers locally are very skilled and experienced, they are not as good when it comes to dealing with numbers or literate requirements such as writing their reports, so they need assistance from other team members. Overall, in terms of the workforce, workers from Trinidad are very knowledgeable in their field and you can find Trinidadian workers in any energy market around the globe.

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