Sky is the Limit

Q: How has the recent activation of Mexico’s offshore sector been reflected in your operations and balance sheet?

A: The entrance of IOCs to the oil and gas industry in Mexico has opened many new opportunities for us. One example is the Shell E&P Mexico tender awarded to Heliservicio as its personnel air transportation service provider and strategic ally for crew, utilitarian air transportation and SAR operations. The Shell project is a new challenge for Heliservicio. Together with PHI Inc., our strategic and technology partner, we are part of Shell’s program to select national suppliers that comply with its safety and efficiency requirements. We have had to invest in our personnel’s technical training and preparation and we also had to invest in and modernize our fleet to meet Shell’s high standards. Having said that, we trust that once we begin operations, we will see substantial benefits in our balance sheet that will reward all of our investments and efforts.

Q: How has the role of the oil and gas sector in your overall portfolio changed in 2019?

A: Heliservicio has been operating in the air transportation industry in Mexico for the last 40 years, servicing private Mexican companies and PEMEX, our largest client. In the last 12 months, with the reactivation of E&P activity, numerous tenders have been issued and new opportunities have arisen. Heliservicio has put in a great deal of time and effort to capture new clients and offer them our exceptional track record and experience, with a priority on safe and efficient operations while deploying the modern equipment we have in place.

We are confident about the quality of our operations, and we have been creative in establishing new strategies to tackle those opportunities to win as many contracts as possible, thus increasing significantly our service portfolio.

Q: How has your recent contract with Shell E&P and your partnership with PHI Inc. changed your standing in the Mexican oil and gas industry?

A: This new project has been an amazing challenge for Heliservicio and we have gone through an extraordinary learning path together with Shell and PHI Inc. PHI is one of the biggest helicopter operators in the world and from them we have gained knowledge and experience; we appreciate their openness and willingness to participate with Heliservicio in this project and share resources. Our crews have been trained by PHI in executing high-risk operations safely. Our most experienced pilots have received in situ training for over a year to learn how to handle the new helicopters, and the type of operations required by Shell in order to meet and exceed Shell's standards for performance.

We are bringing three new helicopters to the country (3 Sykorsky S-92), which are the first of their model to ever operate in Mexico. This portfolio of options and new technology allow us the capability to offer those services to other oil and gas operators. Together with Shell, we are open to establishing a “sharing” scheme for the S-92s to lower operational costs for the companies involved. Additionally, we have built state-of-the-art facilities in Veracruz and Tampico for Shell’s air transportation.

Q: How would you describe the distribution of your operations between transportation to old and new worksites?

A: Offshore air transportation activity is facing a big challenge. Flight distances are lengthening more and more as new offshore areas are being discovered and explored in deepwaters, thus creating a need for new and more hightech aircrafts. The international players that have recently entered the oil and gas activity in Mexico are venturing into drilling in those deepwater fields, and so the distances our helicopters have to travel range from 100 to 200 miles. This opens the opportunity for companies like Heliservicio to invest in equipment, such as heavy and medium helicopters, training, safety (SMS) and to comply with all new HSE-Q certificates, SASISOPA and others if we want to remain competitive.

Heliservicio is a Mexican company founded in 1978 that manages a fleet of 26 helicopters, which have successfully completed over 150,000 flight hours over the last five years. It is one of the few key figures in offshore transportation.