Bugulma (The Republic of Tatarstan) hosted the opening ceremony of the joint venture between Weatherford and Bugulma Electric Pump Plant at the plant’s premises.

 

Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Ildus Kasymov, head of the municipal district of Bugulma, Bugulma Mayor, Dean Kaminski, Vice President for Weatherford Russia, Fayaz Kamalov, Weatherford Well Services Group Manager and Region Sales and Marketing Director, Zurab Kavtaradze, Runaсo Group President, Ildar Sharipov, BENZ General Director and representatives of major Russian oil and gas companies participated in the ceremony.

 

Weatherford Artificial Lift Systems will become an effective and full-scale sucker rod pump assembly and maintenance workshop. The staff will include qualified specialists who received training at a Weatherford manufacturing facility in Houston, TX. The output of the new workshop is expected to total 4,500 pumps per year. Weatherford will expand its presence in Bugulma in the coming years, with the headcount estimated to increase to 100 specialists. New developments are planned to be implemented regularly, and a consignment storehouse will be set up for equipment delivery on a 24-hour basis.

 

Sucker rod pumps manufactured by Weatherford comply with API Spec 11AX. All equipment and services provided by the Company meet the highest international standards and are certified to ISO 9001. A BENZ certified laboratory will be involved in additional inspection of the compliance of materials, parts and components used by the new enterprise.

 

As Dean Kaminski mentioned in his opening address, “Joint ventures are not our first experience in manufacturing cooperation with the other company, and we are sure that this project will be efficient and profitable both for Weatherford and BENZ. Establishing the full-scale entity, the 33rd in Russia, but the first one in the Republic of Tatarstan, rich in oil and other mineral resources, we expect further cooperation with the region and enterprises working here and outside the country.”

 

Ildar Sharipov expressed establishing a joint venture is an essential and sound step in development of companies forming the Runaсo Group. This partnership provides a strong opportunity to study new technologies and learn from the experience of foreign colleagues in oil machinery, product differentiation and marketing. It is equally important that new workplaces will positively impact the quality of life in the area.