PTI is a leading well services business providing fast track production systems to the upstream oil and gas industry. PTI primarily designs, installs, commissions and operates production facilities and production optimisation systems for use in oilfield developments.

The acquisition will significantly expand Expro’s product and service capability and represents an excellent opportunity for Expro to accelerate its growth and enhance its market position.

The burner boom system consists of a 90ft-long boom with an Expro Sea Emerald burner. A significant feature of Expro’s system is its vertical racking capability for storage, providing a small footprint on the deck for ease of deployment. The burner boom system can burn up to 12,000 barrels per day of well effluent through the Sea Emerald burner which reflects the industry-leading clean burn technology.

Expro’s Equipment Sales team, which offers quality oilfield equipment and services to the oil and gas industry, has also sold $2million worth of well testing and power chokes equipment in recent weeks.

John Loafman, Expro’s Equipment Sales director, said: “I am delighted that we have secured this sale. Expro’s burner boom system is an extremely reliable piece of technology and Equipment Sales is dedicated to offering our customers the best service possible.”

More than $10million worth of new subsea business has been secured in the central North Sea and Norway with companies including Premier Oil and BP North Sea.

Expro’s market-leading subsea safety systems provide reliable and efficient in-riser landing strings for well interventions and completions. Expro is already well established in the deepwater regions of the world, including Africa, Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, with its superior technology and expertise in greater demand as development progresses in the world’s deepwater provinces.

Expro’s subsea director, Colin Mackenzie, said: “We have seen strengthening demand for our subsea safety systems across all our operating regions. The European region is often the first to take advantage of the industry upturn with the focus on smaller fast track subsea projects.

“We are continuing to invest in this core business, which will ensure we maintain our position as market leader in subsea landing strings. Our latest generation of Expro Landing String Assembly (ELSA) valves and Express control systems provide our customers with the highest levels of well integrity when commissioning subsea wells.”

The specialists in well flow management will showcase some of the latest innovations being developed by Expro to meet the challenges faced by operators across the global oil and gas industry.

Expro offers the complete package of solutions to its customers, across the lifecycle of their wells, from exploration and appraisal to abandonment.

Deepwater Intervention

On show will be Expro’s solution to subsea well intervention – the AX-S system – which will break new ground in deepwater intervention when it comes to the market.

AX-S™ (pronounced ‘access’) brings cost-effective, riser-less intervention to wells in up to 10,000ft of water. Expro’s goal is to deliver a full range of wireline intervention services in deepwater wells at substantially less than the cost of using a rig. Visitors to the stand will learn more about the capabilities of this new technology through discussions with the senior AX-S team.

Clamp-on metering technology

Visitors will also learn of the benefits brought to the industry by the Expro Meters range of clamp-on sonar-based metering technology, which offers wellhead surveillance on demand.

Expro offers round-the-clock, 24/7 well surveillance, providing operators with a permanent solution to their wellhead production surveillance needs. Expro’s meters are clamp-on, non intrusive, easily installed and applied without production shutdown.

Expro Meters are also available on demand worldwide to provide quick and easy well testing services through our portable clamp-on meters.

Connectors & Measurements

Expro will be unveiling its new SpecTRON 60 penetrator, which is the first connector of its kind to be developed to meet industry demand for connectivity between higher-voltage subsea umbilical cables and subsea transformers on gas compression systems. The SpecTRON 60 is the key enabling technology for high-voltage subsea electrical distribution systems. It is designed to operate as part of a subsea electrical power distribution system and is currently qualified to operate in water depths to 2,000metres.

Expro will also unveil its latest Matre subsea sensor – the WEPS-100 – which combines the best features of its market-leading sensor range to create a new, more compact sensor.

The new product range brings the industry a cost-effective, reliable and ultra convenient solution for subsea pressure and temperature sensors. With over 10,000 WEPS-style sensors produced to date, this product has an unrivalled pedigree in delivering information from subsea wells to maximise well flow management performance.

Complete well test solutions

Expro, which is the largest well testing company in Norway, will also be demonstrating its ability to meet the specific needs of its largest customer in Norway. Expro is currently providing Statoil’s Vega field with the complete package of specialist well testing and sampling services by delivering:

• Customised modular equipment
• Improved operational efficiency
• Minimised rig-up time
• Superior technology
• Enhanced safety systems
• Real-time data delivery

Expro Chairman Graeme Coutts said: “Our investment in technology has reached record levels and we are proud to demonstrate the enhanced capabilities of our new and emerging products to ONS visitors. This is an important platform for Expro to further develop relationships with our customers, and to introduce the benefits of our complete range of well flow management solutions to the thousands of visitors who will be attending the show.”

Expro is at Stand 251 in Hall B.

Leading international oilfield service company Expro today announces it has appointed Charles Woodburn as Chief Executive Officer.

Charles is a UK national who was educated at Cambridge where he graduated with a PhD in Engineering. He joins Expro following a highly successful 15-year career with Schlumberger where he held many senior management roles including President of Wireline up to 2009. Latterly he was in charge of Schlumberger’s engineering and manufacturing, reporting directly to the Executive Vice President of Oilfield Services.

Charles has been appointed to Expro’s main Board and will spend his time between Aberdeen and Reading, but will travel extensively in support of Expro’s international strategy.

The appointment takes effect from September 1. From that date, Graeme Coutts will revert to the position of Chairman, a role he had occupied previously until February this year when he stepped back in as Chief Executive.

Graeme Coutts said: “Charles Woodburn is truly a world-class appointment for Expro. We have taken a significant amount of time to look at the industry talent and I am delighted that we have been fortunate enough to recruit the very best without compromise.

“Expro has become a recognised leader in the provision of well flow management solutions to the global oil and gas industry. The appointment of Charles as CEO will bring dynamic and refreshing leadership as we continue to develop our business to meet the industry’s challenges.”

Charles Woodburn said: “I am delighted to be joining Expro at such an exciting time for the business and the industry in general. Expro is a world-class brand, employing some of the industry’s finest people and with a reputation for delivering innovative technologies to meet the needs of our customers.

“Through investment in people, technology development and our global infrastructure, we are well positioned to capitalise on market opportunities around the world and I look forward to leading Expro into the next chapter of its success story.”

Expro’s mobile process equipment measures the performance of a well with acute accuracy. The procedure involves flowing the well through a temporary completion and production system in order to measure pressure and flow rates, and to gather representative fluid samples. These measurements are used to determine commercial viability, as well as to plan potential completion and production facilities.

Nigel Meany, director of Expro’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, said: “This is a fantastic win for the Expro MENA team, with our work in Algeria becoming a significant part of our business. Well testing has been a strong sector of Expro’s offering for over 35 years and the knowledge and experience of the collective team ensures we always deliver above and beyond for our customers. This is a deserved win.”

New contract wins across the Middle East utilise a range of Expro’s market-leading services and products, including several downhole video projects. Expro’s leading downhole camera technology can be used for a multitude of applications, including corrosion monitoring, drilling damage, wellbore damage or scale build-up, providing clear and accurate images from inside wells.

Operational activity in Saudi Arabia also continues at elevated levels and is expected to remain so with plans to increase the number of wells to be drilled in 2010. This has already seen a $12million extension to Expro’s existing contract in the Kingdom for well testing. Further extensions have also been awarded in Egypt, as well as a number of new well testing contracts.

In Algeria, Expro has secured a major contract including well testing, slickline and Memory Production Logging Tool work, as well as seeing an increase in demand for wireline and sampling services.

Nigel Meany, Expro’s director for the MENA region, said: “Our performance over the past few months has been achieved by virtue of our experienced employees, their dedication and a commitment to meeting our customers’ expectations.

“We look forward to continuing this success and winning new business through innovative ideas, excellent customer relationships and through expansion of our product line portfolios in the region.”

Leading international oilfield service company Expro today announces the signing of a $100million, multi-year contract with TS Marine Asia Pacific, to supply the Havila Phoenix vessel, together with ROV and other associated services, to deploy the AX-S™ subsea well intervention system.

The broad technical capability of the AX-S system (pronounced ‘access’) is now on the threshold of commercial availability globally to all subsea operators. The signing of this significant contract highlights Expro’s commitment to the future development of its people, technology and infrastructure to position itself for subsea and deepwater growth opportunities.

AX-S is a unique, remotely-operated, inherently safe and cost-effective intervention system which will change the way in which oil and gas companies can access and intervene on their subsea well stock at any depth, improving their cash flow and minimising risk.

There are approximately 4,000 oil and gas producing subsea wells across the globe and this number is ever increasing. With many now over a decade old, these wells require ‘servicing’ to allow for maximum oil and gas recovery. Current methods generally require the use of a rig which is a time-consuming, costly activity, especially with rig costs running at up to $1 million a day.

The AX-S system will be remotely operated from a mono hull vessel and can be rapidly deployed to virtually any subsea well, in any water depth. This allows Expro’s AX-S system to provide a safer and more cost-effective alternative to what is available today.

Improved safety has been a key driver in the development of AX-S and the system, its deployment and operation incorporate many unique and inherently safer design features.  The entire AX-S well intervention system is deployed on to the subsea well head within a completely self-contained pressure envelope, removing any leak potential.

Expro’s AX-S managing director David Shand said: “I am extremely pleased to have signed this important contract with our new vessel and subsea support partner, TS Marine Asia Pacific, bringing AX-S to the brink of deployment. I am confident that both companies will become a successful team globally and our plans for AX-S will allow us to safely deliver subsea operations to the highest standards for our customers.”

TS Marine Asia Pacific’s chief executive John Edwards said: “TS Marine is very pleased to enter into this important contract with Expro and the AX-S technology. We believe we will prove the ideal partner for Expro’s well intervention strategy by combining our integrated services of vessel, ROV, subsea positioning and marine operations with our own well intervention experience from ongoing operations in Asia Pacific.”

Expro’s AX-S team has moved to new offices, in Westhill, Aberdeen. The team now consists of more than 60 employees, dedicated to AX-S. The decision to move to new offices means all project activity, including engineering, HSEQC, procurement and design work can be monitored and co-ordinated from a fully-integrated facility. The facility provides efficient work areas and can expand with greater ease as future operations dictate.

The Centre of Excellence, which cost more than $2 million to establish, is located at Expro’s premises in Dyce. The facility will ensure customers who have access to Expro’s innovative clamp-on sonar technology benefit from the quality of service already expected and established in Expro’s portfolio of products and services.

New and existing employees will receive training on the product and will also continually develop their learning on the ground-breaking applications which are changing the way Expro’s customers are testing their wells today. With an initial head count of seven and growing, a second round of recruitment is underway to support global demand.

The Expro Meters business offers on-demand wellhead surveillance, utilising Expro’s sonar-based clamp-on metering technologies PassiveSONAR and ActiveSONAR. Through the use of non-intrusive flow meters, Expro offers real-time 24/7 surveillance designed for permanent wellhead measurement, as well as zero-impact portable well testing services anywhere in the world. The clamp-on sonar meters are ideally suited for wellhead surveillance of brownfield locations.

Expro Meters has been successfully measuring accurate and reliable flow rates with no process interruption at a platform in the Italian waters of the Adriatic Sea, and several platforms in the Southern North Sea. Clamp-on surveillance work is being undertaken in places as far afield as Alaska, Norway and the Middle East.

Patrick Curry, Expro Meters general manager, said: “The Centre of Excellence will allow Expro to provide product and application training in a collaborative environment, supported by our product centre in Connecticut and delivered through our existing Region infrastructure, facilitating easy and on-demand well testing to our global customer base.”

PTI, based in Asia, is a leading well services business providing fast track production systems to the upstream oil and gas industry. PTI primarily designs, installs, commissions and operates production facilities and production optimisation systems for use in oilfield developments.

Completion of the acquisition is subject to fulfilment of a number of conditions which are expected to be satisfied within the next six weeks.

The acquisition will significantly expand Expro’s product and service capability and represents an excellent opportunity for Expro to accelerate its growth and enhance its market position consistent with its continuing strategy.

Graeme Coutts, Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of Expro, said:

“I am delighted to announce the acquisition of PTI. PTI is a very well-run business. It has outstanding customer relationships and a work force that is highly regarded for its knowledge, professionalism and experience. The acquisition complements our strategy and service offering perfectly and provides us with a significant opportunity at a time when safer and enhanced recovery of reserves has never been more important.”