Patenting the Mudprocessing Procress

Q: What makes the outsourcing segment of Grupo Roales different from other companies with a similar service?

A: I started this journey back in 2007 after 16 years of working as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. We had a small shop where our main activity was electromechanic services. As demand for our services increased, we started looking for strategic partners and began integrating their products and services into our solutions portfolio, allowing us to offer an integrated outsourcing service. Our first customer was PEMEX and from there we moved to private and public projects, all pertaining to the oil and gas industry.

We maintain a full portfolio of technical experts, which makes us more than just a common outsourcing company. Our presence and experience across the country includes senior consultants in different oil and gas disciplines. This allows us to provide technical staff in the shortest possible time. We can move quickly while delivering the highest standards in terms of personnel at a competitive cost.

Q: How has Grupo Roales adapted to the challenges of the new Mexican multiclient market?

A: To participate in this relatively new market, we first set out to understand the procurement and due diligence processes of the new operators. As a result of several productive conversations with these players, we knew we would need international certifications to support them. Grupo Roales is now certified in due diligence, quality and safety procedures such as TRACE, ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and ISO 18000. Our relationship with PEMEX has also been beneficial, helping us to showcase our portfolio of services to new operators looking for local experience and knowledge.

Q: What relevant project illustrates Group Roales’ ability to offer an added value to its clients?
A: Our local experience goes beyond regulatory, environmental and human capital consulting. At the moment, we are capitalizing on a huge opportunity to treat the mud from offshore drilling. Grupo Roales patented the first drilling-related mud-processing plant placed on a vessel. It has the capacity to treat and decontaminate mud, which is then pumped into injection wells belonging to PEMEX. This cutting-edge technology was developed from scratch by our engineering department and we want Mexico to be the starting point for this application. This project was hatched while we were brainstorming ideas to reduce costs associated with mud from drilling.

We discovered that the biggest cost was in offshore logistics. Someone suggested putting a mud plant on a vessel, so we looked at the current regulation and did not find any constraints in this regard. Having a mud plant on a vessel would help our customers reduce 80 percent of the cost related to the mud-reinjection process. It also eliminates the risk of mud spills, which makes it an appealing alternative for current offshoredrilling companies. 

Q: What are Grupo Roales’ ambitions for the coming years?

A: Grupo Roales believes that the best way to celebrate a milestone is by setting a higher goal and to work to achieve it. We work very well outside our comfort zone and capitalize on opportunities in difficult times. We are accustomed to seeing opportunities where others see crises. 

Proof of this is our recent alliance with Weatherford to participate in a tender to reactivate some of PEMEX’s closed onshore wells. We are confident that our highlyskilled consultants and local experience will help us win that bid. Grupo Roales strives to build strong and intelligent alliances with technology-driven companies to develop the best solutions and services. That then makes it is easier to attract financial partners to support our projects.