International ‘National Champion’

Q: What has allowed Schlumberger to become a leading service provider in the global oil and gas industry?

A: Our core strengths include quality of execution, being a leader in technology, a highly trained workforce, and the ability to integrate seamlessly across multiple disciplines. By relying on these strengths, the company’s focus is to add value to our E&P customers’ operations anywhere in the world, by supporting their need to add reserves, increase production, and reduce operating costs. At the global level, our milestones are tied to the success of our E&P customers. Schlumberger’s technology and service delivery capability have supported its efforts in complex operating environments, such as ultra-deep water exploration projects, unconventional oil and gas resource development, remote environments, and technically challenging secondary or enhanced oil recovery projects.

Q: How has the company translated these global capabilities into its Mexican operation?

A: Schlumberger has been operating continuously in Mexico since 1936, entering the country within a decade of our company being founded. The company’s global leadership position is also reflected here, as a result of our long commitment to PEMEX and the Mexican oil and gas industry, we have created a lengthy association with PEMEX through our traditional services contracts. These have led us to seek new operating models that promote close collaboration and alignment with PEMEX E&P in areas such as technology, competency development and training programs. Schlumberger Mexico also participates in several R&D projects through CONACYT-SENER Hydrocarbon Fund, where we have joined forces with research and educational institutions to work on areas of strategic importance for the Mexican oil and gas industry. The Schlumberger global R&D centers are also involved in these projects, directly contributing to the development of unique and creative solutions for the Mexican oil and gas industry. Some of our recent milestones in Mexico include our participation in the incentivized integrated service contracts in two fields in the North and South Regions, and our strong participation in PEMEX’s ultra-deepwater activity, where many of our latest technologies and experienced professionals have contributed to some success stories.

Q: What makes traditional oilfield service providers successful as operators, and which role do partnerships play in this process?

A: The core ingredient is the oilfield services provider’s capacity to integrate effectively across multiple disciplines and align towards the success of the asset. To achieve this, it is necessary to have the experience and understanding to design a strategic field development plan, and then to execute this plan successfully. Integration is involved at every step along the way. Naturally this capability cannot be fast tracked, and is a result of actual asset management experience obtained through multiple projects. Operating an asset involves a very broad set of disciplines and services. Partnerships and alliances are important since they can bring together complementary skillsets and expertise, and also allow the partners to distribute the risks and financial contribution. When Schlumberger partners with a national oil company in a production management project, PEMEX’s local knowledge combined with our global experience leads to a strong alliance with direct access to technology.

Q: What are your ambitions in the Mexican oil and gas industry for the coming year? How are you going to measure your success at the end of 2014?

A: Our ambition is to maximize the returns on the multiple opportunities where we are providing services to PEMEX and other customers in Mexico. At the same time, we look to prepare the organization to continue to play a leadership role in the new, transformed Mexican upstream industry in the years to come. We are actively involved in supporting PEMEX, CNH, and the various players, including the potential new ones, as we venture through the transformation that the Energy Reform brings about. While we do that, we will remain focused on what we do best: providing cutting-edge technological solutions and the industry’s leading project management expertise to deliver outstanding quality of service while we help PEMEX and our other customers maximize the value of their assets and increase their resource base. Our entire workforce in Mexico is deeply committed to this task; our ultimate success will be measured through the satisfaction of our customers in Mexico.